US Government refuses to release data that could locate missing children

The United States government, by its own admission, has IRS tax data that could be helpful in tracking down thousands of missing children. The information is not forthcoming because taxpayer privacy laws severely restrict the release of information from tax returns. An I.R.S. spokeperson said: “We will do whatever we can within the confines of the law to make it easier for law enforcement to find abducted children” The privacy laws were enacted to prevent Watergate-style abuses of confidential taxpayer information. There are specific exceptions allowing the I.R.S. to turn over information in child support cases and to help federal agencies determine whether an applicant qualifies for income-based federal benefits.  However, because of guidelines in the handling of criminal cases, there are several obstacles for parents and investigators pursuing a child abductor — even when the taxpayer in question is a fugitive and the subject of a felony warrant. It seems wrong that some federal laws seemed more concerned with the privacy of a fugitive than the safety of children. “When your kids are taken from you, the hardest part is at night, thinking about them going to sleep. You wonder who’s tucking them in, who will hug them if they have a bad dream or taking them to the bathroom if they wake up. And you ask yourself whether you’ve done everything possible to find them.” For the full story see NY Times

Father arrested after wandering child is found

A wandering child was found on a street in Lantana at around 9:28 a-m. He was barefoot, wearing Thomas the Tank Engine pyjamas and had a temporary tattoo on his left arm. It was not until noon that his grandmother showed up, saying that there had been a mix-up with who was supposed to be watching the child. She thought that her son, the boy's father, had him, while he thought that she was taking care of him. Investigators say they arrested the boy's father soon after the boy was found and charged him with child neglect.  He reportedly said that he checked on his child who was asleep before he went to work, then left, assuming his roommate would watch the child.  He made no further attempt to contact his roommate or anyone else in the household to make sure the child would be supervised. Original report from News Channel 5

Posters of missing children may not help kids in danger

Two thousand children are reported missing every day. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children the best way to find them is to place high visibility missing persons posters.  NBC Connecticut went undercover to conduct an experiment into the usefulness of such posters and found that they often go unnoticed.  A reporter place missing child signs at a Market then the "missing" six year old girl in the poster walked around the same store with her dad for an hour.   Most store visitors didn't even notice the missing child signs. The shoppers who did see the posters, including some who took take a closer look, walked right by the girl.  Several people even talked to the girl and her dad, and yet still nobody realised the connection.  One lady said she noticed the little girl, but assumed she was okay because she didn't seem distraught. Police say this kind of mistake can be costly. Abducted children don't always act like they're in danger.  Often, they will have been lied to by their abductor and may therefore be unaware that they are in danger. It's a very disturbing lesson for us all. There is hope that child tracking devices may provide at least some answer to these problems.  However, education of the general public is also important if safety measures are not to be in vain. The original story can be found at msnbc

First there was child audio surveillance - now there is Visual Surveillance too

Voice surveillance is a feature of child tracking devices that has recently been discussed at childtracking.org.  Now it seems that technology is taking the next logical step with Visual Surveillance being added to the list of features. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have created a new child tracking device that will also allow parents to remotely see what their child is viewing.  In addition to existing child tracking device features, it will also monitor their pulse. When the child's heart rate is faster than usual, an instant photo is taken from the child's  point-of-view.  The parent is then alerted to access an activity log on a website where they can see photos taken during the day. So, is this a step too far?  Is it a feature you would welcome, or could it be misused by paedophiles.  Would you be happy knowing that other children in your child's school was wearing such a device?

Kidnap of children by strangers is NOT Child Abduction

According to a definition of Child Abduction by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police Ministry of Foreign Affairs "A typical example of child abduction is when a parent removes a child from a country unlawfully, i.e. in contravention of the other parent’s custody rights. A child can also be retained abroad unlawfully following a lawful stay (e.g. for holiday or access purposes). The rules on child abduction and retention are identical, and the term child abduction is therefore used for both. In most cases, the child is abducted by one of the parents, although the same rules apply to abduction by grandparents or other relatives. Cases where a child is kidnapped by strangers, including where a ransom is demanded, do not constitute child abduction as defined here." The full text can be found here

Worried parents meet police after abduction attempts

Police in Crawley invited worried parents to their HQ in the town to discuss their concerns after two child abduction attempts were reported. In the first incident, a girl aged thirteen was targeted by a man and a woman as she walked near a school.  The second abduction attempt took place when an 11-year-old boy was told to get into a car by two strangers on his way to a local Youth Club. Both children were fortunately able to run away. According to the Crawley Neighbourhood policing Team: "We held a very positive meeting with parents and we all had a frank and open discussion about these incidents.  We take reports of this nature very seriously and clearly emotions are running high among parents and children alike.  We are working very closely with local schools and communities to provide the best service we possibly can and to ensure there are clear lines of communication so that any future concerns are addressed quickly and efficiently." A further meeting is planned for 26th October 2010 as reported in Sussex news The issue of Child GPS tracking by parents for Kids in School was discussed in a recent article at childtracking.org.

New microphone technology can pinpoint a single voice from a large crowd

Audioscope is a new system from Squarehead that utilises a large number of microphones housed in a carbon-fiber disk above, say, a sports stadium. A wide-angle camera looks down on the scene from the center of this disk. The operator can then pinpoint a spot in the stadium and the system works out how far that spot is from each of the microphones, corrects for the delay and then synchronizes the audio from all of them simultaneously. Audio from all microphones is stored in separate channels, so you can even go back and listen in on any sounds later. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this technology could be combined with other technologies for covert surveillance at public gatherings.  Authorities could eavesdrop on conversations taking place within the crowd. How long will it be before GPS surveillance satellites can pinpoint individual conversations taking place in the streets? Original report on Wired

Why was October Walk to School Month so unsuccessful?

October was a worldwide "Walk to School Month".  I mention this because you would not have noticed this in our area, with the amount of cars jostling for position outside our local primary school.  Though it has to be said that this is not particularly surprising.  It is known that parents will not let their children walk to school mainly because of fears of crime and traffic. A recent VicHealth survey of 1,500 people showed that 63% of parents believed that primary school aged children shouldn't move around their neighbourhoods without adult supervision.  It found that 43% of parents with children under the age of eighteen believed there was a high risk a child would be abducted by a stranger if allowed to walk around their neighbourhood alone. 62% believed there was too much traffic on the roads. While nobody would argue that traffic levels are a concern, it is ironic that traffic levels are noticeably at their highest during school term-time.  The parents themselves are often the cause of some of the highest congestion. Todd Harper, the VicHealth chief executive, said "The real risk of child abduction is extremely low, yet many parents believe there is a high risk" The percieved risk has seen a rise in the number of parents investigating child gps tracking devices.  Could more widespread use of child GPS tracking by parents for kids in school help allay the fears of parents and reduce the number of cars on our roads?

FBI using tracking device to track student

If you thought that GPS Surveillance would not be used by the State in the "free" world, then this news may make you think again.  Earlier this month a student discovered a tracking device attached to his car and his friend posted pictures of it online.  Within a couple of days he received a visit from half-a-dozen FBI agents and police officers demanding that he should return the device.  Comments made by the agents suggested that he had been under surveillance for three to six months! This comes in the wake of a recent ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saying it’s legal for law enforcement to secretly place a tracking device on a suspect's car without getting a warrant, even if the car is parked in a private driveway. On the face of it, the reasons for tracking this student look pretty flimsy. The encounter with the FBI ended with the agents telling him not to worry. “We have all the information we needed,” they told him. “You don’t need to call your lawyer. Don’t worry, you’re boring. “ Original Report on Wired

Aunt of missing child describes her feelings

Sheer terror is what Nancy Jimenez says she was feeling once she realized her four year old niece Catarina was missing from her bed.  Catarina was spending the night at her aunt's for the very first time.  "My husband was sleeping, so he's all like "she's sleeping". He never thought she was going to get up in the middle of the night and walk off."  Deputies say, that's exactly what she did. Good samaritans found Catarina around 2 a.m and called police. Today Jimenez is counting her blessings.  "Time is of the essence, especially down here in Florida because this child happened to be in the roadway, there is so much water, there are so many things that could have happened."  Scary statistics tonight. When a child is abducted 44 percent die within the first hour. After three hours, that number jumps to 76 percent and after a full day, a startling 88 percent.  Jimenez knows she got lucky.  "I'm so grateful, I'm so grateful." Original Story from wink news More information about child gps tracking

Free Workshop - Child Tracking with GPS

If you live in or near PHOENIXVILLE PA you may be interested in attending a free workshop intended to help parents track their young children using the child gps tracking technology, will be held Oct. 28 (2010; Thursday) beginning at 7 p.m. in the Phoenixville Public Library, 183 Second Ave., Phoenixville PA. "Such services are available from cell phone carriers without the need for additional equipment. Parents can track their kids between school and home, and verify their whereabouts at the home of a friend." Further information and contact details can be found in The Limerick Post If you are unable to attend, then you may be interested in reading about new software that is available to turn any smart phone into a gps tracking locator device.

How to discretely spy on your teenager

Are you worried about your teenage children?  No idea about where they go, what they do, and who they associate with?  Maybe they are associating with a bad crowd, or maybe they are being abused by others.  Nowadays, abuse can take many forms, including bullying by text message and email.  Unsolicited inappropriate images may be sent by an abuser.  How can you know about this if your child is unwilling or unable to tell you? Sometimes parents can feel powerless to act when they suspect that their son or daughter may be heading for trouble.  In their heart they know that something is wrong, but have no way to confirm their suspicions. Using a dedicated spy gps tracking locator device is all well and good for keeping younger children safe.  They would also help with older children - as long as they agree to carry and use the device.  However, if the adolescent child is hiding something from their parents it is highly unlikely that they would agree to carry such a device.  Well now they don't have to!  It is likely they are carrying such a device already in the shape of the latest smart phones. All that is needed to turn the cell phone into a tracking device is some software that can operate stealthily to capture GPS location information and a whole lot more.  Such software can report on text messages (SMS) sent and received; cell phone numbers of calls made and received; web sites visited; emails; and more! Once installed on the mobile cell phone, the software is unobtrusive and doesn't appear in process listings, so the user is unaware that it is running.  You can then check on where it is and what is happening by logging in to a remote system on the internet. So what do you think? Is it a good idea to use this type of software? You can find out more information about this and other aspects of child tracking technology at childtracking.org

Is Big Brother using GPS Surveillance to track your cell phone?

Smart Phones are rapidly becoming indispensible mobile communication devices with a multitude of benefits.  However, there may be a down-side that would not be considered an attractive selling point!  A recent Time article explains how the benefits of GPS could be turned against us by a government that is keen to know our every move. Before the advent of smart phones, the most accurate way of establishing the whereabouts of the mobile phone was by a method of triangulation.  The device regularly sends signals about where you are according to your proximity to nearby cell-phone towers, so that it is in a state of readiness to make and receive calls. This tells the cell phone company where you are, and this information is stored on a database for an indefinate period.  This data may only be accurate to within around half-a-mile or so, depending on your proximity to different towers. Now, thanks to the GPS chip that is embedded in most smart phones. The data can often reveal your location to within five or ten meters. Law enforcement has found this data extremely useful. Prosecutors are increasingly using cellphone records to show that a suspect was near the scene of a crime, or not where he claimed to be.  The federal government's position is that it should be able to get most of this data if it decides it is relevant to an investigation, with no need for a search warrant.  GPS surveillance provides unparalleled accuracy for these investigations. We have already reported about Police planting GPS tracking locator devices to track suspects, but the ability to track a device that most people own and use is perhaps greater cause for vigilance when it comes to civil liberties. You can read the full Time article here.

Missing Children - The Not-So-Great Wall Of China

Every year, thousands of children in China go missing. Many of them are abducted by human traffickers.  About 30 parents from around China gathered in Beijing last week. They unfurled this massive banner with pictures and details of their missing children.  This created a 300ft long Missing Children Wall. Zhao Weichao, a boy from Inner Mongolia, went missing in 2007. Wang Ming, a girl from Shanxi Province, went missing in 1997. The faces of these children, along with many others are displayed.  The Father of Lin Chengmian, an 8-year old child who was kidnapped in 2008 in Fujian Province, explains the parents' wishes. "We want to see whether we can strike harder at these kidnappers, and help find our children. This is my biggest wish, finding our children is our biggest wish." Many of the children have been missing for several years. The Chinese regime's one-child policy and the lucrative overseas adoption market have created a demand for children. While there are no official statistics, between thousands to tens of thousands of kidnaps are estimated every year. A video report can be seen on Daily Motion You can also find further information about child tracking at childtracking.org

Biometric Information Helps Locate Missing Children

While GPS Surveillance can undoubtedly help locate a missing child, there are other steps that can be taken to ensure that Law enforcement officials have all the details they need as quickly as possible. The John Walsh Child Safety Program provides parents with vital tools recommended by the FBI and the Department of Justice, including new biometric fingerprinting and DNA identification kit.  Biometrics is the newest and most advanced technology available today for obtaining fingerprints. It is done with the same equipment presently used by federal agencies, law enforcement, and the US military. Law enforcement officials say that time is critical in the recovery of a missing child. The Biometric Technology program allows parents to immediately submit their child's fingerprints into the FBI Database as soon as they are reported missing. Once in the database, the fingerprints become immediately available to all law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Original story from WLOX

Is it necessary to buy a GPS tracking locator for Child Care?

It's a dilemma faced by many parents. Those who work outside the home will know the feeling – especially during the toddler and pre-school years.  Getting somebody completely trustworthy to take care of the children.  When you hire a Childminder or Nanny, can you really rest assured about the security of your children while you are away?  Particularly if the carer takes the child away from the home setting for any reasons, such as a visit to a park. GPS surveillance techniques can help give peace of mind, so that parents can get on with their busy lives.  However, not many parents are aware of the availability of affordable tracking locator solutions.  These child GPS locators can help parents track and protect their children when they are out for some school activities, or when they go out of sight in over-crowded places. Child GPS locators include watches and small devices which can be concealed in their belongings.  They are very easy to operate and don’t need much technical expertise. Services are available to allow you to keep tabs of their whereabouts over the internet, or via your mobile device. You can read more about GPS Surveillance equipment and techniques at http://childtracking.org

Quick Tip for Locating a Missing Child

Although a tracking locator device is the best way to find a wandering child, you may as yet be undecided as to whether to invest the technology that can help them.  However, if you already own have a digital camera, or a cell phone equipped with a camera, then here is a tip that you can implement now to help in the event that your child goes missing. Each time you go out to an unfamiliar area, or a crowded place, or anywhere where there is a possibility that your child may inadvertantly become lost and separated from you, then take a digital picture early on.  Not a close-up, or an action shot, but a simple picture of the child from head to toe while facing the camera.  There is no need for anybody, including the child, to know the reason why you are taking the picture. The idea is that you will have the most recent picture of the child wearing the exact clothes that he or she was wearing before they wandered.  You can then show this picture, rather than having to describe details (and maybe forgetting something vital) to people who may be able to help.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. For more information about GPS child locator devices, visit http://childtracking.org

Dealing with Child Abduction - Chinese Style

In my first blog post about my child tracking motivation, I related that it was while visiting China that I began to think about these issues.  The following may well be a case of "closing the gate after the horse has bolted", but it's certainly a way of reducing the incentive for kidnappers! Two people involved in abducting and selling 40 children have been sentenced to death for human trafficking in East China's Fujian province, Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday. The Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Fujian found Li was involved in trafficking 23 children and Wu 17. The court also ruled the two be deprived of political rights for life and their entire property be confiscated. A total of 11 other people were also convicted by the court in cases involving a total of 46 children.Li Diji and Wu Suiqing, along with a number of accomplices, kidnapped children from Sichuan and other provinces before selling them in the rural areas of Anxi county in Fujian for 30,000 yuan ($4,500) to 40,000 yuan each. Report from China Daily on 28th September 2010

Young Child Found Sitting Alone Near School

Yet another incident involving a wandering child near a school which happened a couple of days ago.  Police in McKeesport said a young child, believed to be either 3 or 4-years-old, was found sitting alone on a sidewalk Thursday afternoon.Investigators said someone passing by saw the child near Centennial Elementary School on Beaver Street and called 911.  McKeesport Area School District spokeswoman Kristen Davis said the child was on school property.  "We are working with police to find out what happened," she said. Details still emerging.  Original report at wpxi.com For possible solutions to this kind of problem, we continue our own investigations of child tracking technology.

No child gps required - Mum allows her nine year old take subway alone

In the interest of balance, some parents have the opinion that the apron strings should be cut to allow children the freedom to go off and be children.  Much like the older generation will have experienced.  In the Sunday Morning Herald today there is an article about an American lady with some views that go against much of modern parenting practice. "Lenore Skenazy takes her two sons to the park and leaves them there. They can meet other kids, perhaps even find their own way home. They play outside alone and walk to school unaccompanied. In her home country she was dubbed America's worst mom after making a controversial decision in 2008 to drop her nine-year-old son in downtown Manhattan to take the subway home alone." She has started a movement called Free Range Kids, in which she wants parents to teach their children vital social skills and how to be more independent by loosening the reins on their activities.  Among her tips, she wants parents to turn off their mobile phones, because children are getting too used to parents making all the decisions on their behalf. She has attracted plenty of vitriole. "Her son's subway trip unleashed a flood of responses ranging from accusations of child abuse to fond recollections of getting lost in the bush and embarking on train trips." Although I don't suppose many parents of young children these days will share her views, those of an older persuasion will hark back to the more carefree days of their youth. It occurs to me that perhaps child tracking could be a way for parents to allow their offspring the freedom to go off on their own more often, while still feeling a sense of security that they still know where they are.  Perhaps, far from bringing about a "big brother" style of surveillance, it could actually bring about more freedom for our children.  It's a paradox that I hadn't previously thought about. The full Sunday Morning Herald article can be found here

Another toddler wanders from School

If you think that lightning doesn't strike twice, well think again!  It makes you wonder what goes on in schools when such young children can slip out undetected. This incident bears a striking resemblence to the one I previously posted.  In this case a five year old girl wandered, but at least the school did call Police who found the girl ten minutes later. "Superintendent Paul Dakin said six adults were in charge of watching the children during recess but when they did their count of children, they came up one short. The teachers were said to have contacted the principal about the missing child, who then called both Revere and State Police. A few minutes later, a state trooper found the girl on Ocean Avenue. She had apparently crossed a bridge over MBTA train tracks and avoided traffic. While the child appeared to be unharmed, an internal investigation into the incident is under way. " Originally, I thought that I would not bother with child tracking methods for normal school days, but now I'm having second thoughts! The full news article can be found here

School did not call Police when toddler went missing

While researching the use of child tracking systems I have come across some mixed reactions about the subject.  Recently I read an interesting debate in which a Teacher was very upset by the idea of parents tracking children in her care.  Whereas I sympathise with her feelings that she is not being trusted by the parents to do her job, unfortunately not all teachers and schools were created equal. In an incident reported this week, a five year old boy ran away from his Kindergarten, then crossed a two lane road and made his way home.  It beggars belief that a school would not call the Police when a toddler in their care goes missing!  The fact that he could even leave the premises without being stopped must be alarming for all parents whose children attend that school. The mother had a subsequent meeting with the public school officials, who agreed that the Police would be called when a child goes missing in future.  Thankfully, this common sense policy is in place before a tragedy occurs. Does your child's nursery or elementary school have a policy for dealing with instances of missing children? The full report can be found at myfox

Attempted Child Abduction in a Shopping Centre

It's easy to be complacent and assume that such things would not take place in a busy place such as a Shopping Centre.  This is one reason why I think that a child tracking device can be a useful tool. The incident occurred yesterday. "A close call at Toronto’s Eaton Centre has resulted in a woman facing multiple charges. Police say, a 3-year old boy and his mother were in the shopping centre, when another woman grabbed the child’s hand and pulled him away. The suspect let go of the boy after being confronted by the mother. Thi Luu is to appear in court on Friday, charged with Abduction of a Person Under 14 and Obstructing an Officer." Report from Durham Radio News

Police Use Of GPS Tracking

Although not specifically about child tracking, an article in the Washington Post illustrates the controversy surrounding the use of GPS tracking devices. "Across the country, police are using GPS devices to snare thieves, drug dealers, sexual predators and killers, often without a warrant or court order. Privacy advocates said tracking suspects electronically constitutes illegal search and seizure, violating Fourth Amendment rights of protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, and is another step toward George Orwell's Big Brother society. Law enforcement officials, when they discuss the issue at all, said GPS is essentially the same as having an officer trail someone, just cheaper and more accurate. Most of the time..... judges have sided with police." As the technology becomes ever cheaper, it is likely that covert Police use of the devices will become widespread.  A tracking locator device is far cheaper than providing dedicated officers to trail suspects, and doubtless safer too in some circumstances. So is this abusing civil liberties, or simply an extension of policing methods that are already employed?  Should there be more public accountability regarding the use of methods? You can read the full orginal article at The Washington Post