Stranger Danger

Beginning with Etan Patz's disappearance in Manhattan in 1979, a spate of high-profile cases of missing and murdered children stoked anxieties about the threats of child kidnapping and exploitation. Publicized through an emerging twenty-four-hour news cycle, these cases supplied evidence of what some commentators dubbed "a national epidemic" of child abductions committed by "strangers." In this book, Paul M. Renfro narrates how the bereaved parents of missing and slain children turned their grief into a mass movement and, alongside journalists and policymakers from both major political parties, propelled a moral panic. Leveraging larger cultural fears concerning familial and national decline, these child safety crusaders warned Americans of a supposedly widespread and worsening child kidnapping threat, erroneously claiming that as many as fifty thousand American children fell victim to stranger abductions annually. The actual figure was (and remains) between one hundred and three hundred, and kidnappings perpetrated by family members and acquaintances occur far more frequently. Yet such exaggerated statistics-and the emotionally resonant images and narratives deployed behind them-led to the creation of new legal and cultural instruments designed to keep children safe and to punish the "strangers" who ostensibly wished them harm. Ranging from extensive child fingerprinting drives to the milk carton campaign, from the AMBER Alerts that periodically rattle Americans' smart phones to the nation's sprawling system of sex offender registration, these instruments have widened the reach of the carceral state and intensified surveillance practices focused on children. Stranger Danger reveals the transformative power of this moral panic on American politics and culture, showing how ideas and images of endangered childhood helped build a more punitive American state.

A Cute Children Story To Teach Kids About Strangers and Safety.

Lu won’t go with just anyone! Lu is waiting to be picked up after school. She stands on the sidewalk, all alone, and it starts to rain. Ms. Smith walks by, and offers to take her home. Ms. Smith lives in Lu’s neighborhood—but does Lu really know her? Lu asks herself, what’s her first name? Does she dye her hair red? What’s her dog’s name? And she says, “I don’t know you, so I won’t go with you! And besides, Mama said I should wait.” As other adults—all of whom Lu has met in some capacity before—offer to take her home, Lu continues to consider if she really knows them. One by one, she refuses to go with them. Until, finally, the person Mama said she should go home with shows up—though his appearance is a surprise to the reader! This sensitively narrated story illustrates how clear rules and arrangements can help protect and empower children during an especially vulnerable time of day. The ending includes a prompt for readers to create their own similar “safe” list, and a list of resources for parents.

Most strangers are friendly, but some (very few) may be “Tricksters” so...“I’m ready to SPY with my Tricky EYE, Anyone fooling me, Any where, when or why!” Bright, lively, fun and engaging, this book teaches children to be confidently aware and reinforces the need to check with a SAFE adult before they do anything with a stranger.

From a young age, children are taught to steer clear of strangers on the street, but strangers on the Internet are just as much of a danger as those in public. This engaging book teaches readers the importance of avoiding strangers online, and what to do if a stranger does try to talk to them. Colorful photographs attract readers, while accessible text reinforces key Internet safety concepts. Promoting responsible online use, this book is a key resource for young Internet users.

Benjamin learns what to do when strangers pay attention to him.

You might have heard people say, "Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet." That's true in many cases, but not all strangers are kind and friendly. Some strangers can be dangerous. Staying away from people you don't know is often the best way to keep yourself safe.

Stranger Danger is filled with pertinent information that every household with young children should have and review on a regular basis.