United States Responses To International Parental Abduction

There are a number of problems and issues related to the federal response to international parental child abduction. These problems have been identified by the key agencies involved the State and Justice Departments and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children-as well as left-behind parents and other. Together, they present obstacles to left-behind parents in their attempts to locate, gain access to, and return their children. Four problems and issues have received substantial attention. These are ̂gaps in federal services to left-behind parents, which make it difficult for parents to recover their abducted children; ̂weaknesses within the existing State Department case-tracking process, which impair case and program coordination; ̂lack of systematic and aggressive diplomatic efforts to improve international responses to parental child abductions; and ̂limited use of the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act of 1993% to pursue abducting parents and bring them to justice. The State and Justice Departments have developed recommendations, which they believe will address most of the problems if implemented. While we found that action has been taken to implement a number of the recommendations, many await further action and most require resource commitments. In addition, some of the recommended actions are not expected to be implemented for several years. These shortcomings raise questions about the likelihood the recommendations will be put in place.

Every year, hundreds of children in the United States are victims of international parental kidnapping- a child's wrongful removal from the United States, or wrongful retention in another country, by a parent or other family member. Parents and other family members left behind may be overwhelmed by feelings of loss, anguish, despair, and anger-as well as confusion and uncertainty about what can be done in response.In December 1999, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention invited a small group of left-behind and searching parents to participate in a planning and development meeting. Each one had experienced first hand the heartbreak of having a child abducted to another country or wrongfully retained abroad. Some of them had recovered their children, while others had not. They willingly shared their knowledge of international parental kidnapping-gained at tremendous personal cost- to help other parents of abducted children understand what can be done to: * Prevent an international parental kidnapping.* Stop a kidnapping in progress.* Locate a kidnapped or wrongfully retained child in another country.* Bring an abductor to justice.* Recover a kidnapped or wrongfully retained child from another country.* Reestablish access to a child in another country.This guide imparts the group's practical wisdom and the hope that other parents will not have to experience the confusion and discouragement these parents did when it was not clear what to do or whom to turn to when their children were kidnapped. The group offered its suggestions for preventing international kidnapping and gave detailed advice to maximize the chance that children who are kidnapped or wrongfully retained will be returned to this country.The guide provides descriptions and realistic assessments of the civil and criminal remedies available in international parental kidnapping cases. It explains applicable laws and identifies both the public and private resources that may be called on when an international abduction occurs or is threatened. It gives practical advice on overcoming frequently encountered obstacles so that parents can get the help they need. The guide prepares parents for the legal and emotional difficulties they may experience and shares coping and general legal strategies to help them achieve their individual goals, whether they involve recovering a child or reestablishing meaningful access to a child in another country.Despite the difficulties that may lie ahead and the disappointment some parents may experience, it is important not to become discouraged. Stay hopeful. Many things can be done to prevent or to resolve an international parental kidnapping. This guide will help you organize your response

Abstract: This hearing reports on the issue of international child abduction and the U.S. response. Testimony is given by several parents who had their children abducted and removed to another country. The difficulties of attempting to legally repair custody and the work of the international community in this area (e.g. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction) are discussed.