Ambr Alert Research Paper

Improved Essays
Mayrene Slatton-McCoy
September 18, 2017
Comp. 1 5th Hour
Exemplification Essay
AMBER Alert Effectiveness
Amber Rene Hagerman was nine years old when she was abducted while riding her bike in 1996. Without luck of finding her, her family and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found her dead five days later. In honor of Amber, the AMBER Alert child abduction prevention system was activated (Peters). There is quite a bit of debate on whether the system is effective or not. Statistics in general have proven that the AMBER Alert has saved children’s lives. The discussion should not be over whether or not it is effective, but rather if it is effective enough to continue putting resources and time into. The AMBER Alert system is not effective enough to
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Out of the 80,000 children, only 243 AMBER Alerts are issued. 50 children were found and saved with the help of the system. Eleven were found deceased. Ultimately, only 50 children are saved out of 80,000 each year (Department of Homeland Security). Since 1996, there has been 881 children have been recovered specifically with the help of the AMBER Alert system. The system has been in use for 21 years (U.S. Department of Justice). Using the Department of Homeland Security’s average of 80,000, there would be roughly 1,680,000 children abducted from 1996 to 2017. Only 881 children of the 1,680,000 are saved due to the alert system. That is not effective enough.
“AMBER Alert has not achieved and probably cannot achieve the ambitious goals that inspired its creation” (Miller and Griffin). This abduction alert system has firm activation criteria to avoid false alarms and creating an insensitive community; but that, in turn, misses important cases. AMBER Alert is effective, but it is not effective enough to remain implemented. The U.S. Department of Justice must create a better option. If one cannot be made, the AMBER Alert should not be in

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