Child Protection Bill
President George W. Bush signed the Child Protection Bill into law in April 2003. Prior to the signing of this bill, the president asserted that cases involving missing children do not only affect the family that has experienced the unbearable pain, but are also felt by the whole nation at large. The Child Protection Bill signified the country’s effort in protecting people who have no ability to protect themselves (Davidson, 2006).
The importance of this bill in relation to missing children includes the following. Firstly, the bill enhances or increases the level of penalties or charges to individuals involved in both youth and child abductions. The bill explains the significance of increasing funding to children programs to enhance identification of people behind child abductions as well as those who engage children to child pornography. Secondly, the president said that the new law would go a long way in preventing child abuse by establishing a child abuse registry at the national level. After the establishment of these registries, a committee of investigators conducts background checks on foster and adoptive parents who wish to take custody of a given child. The law also includes the establishment of an alert system that families can use to contact the law enforcement officers when a child is abducted. Considering the fact that many deaths involving abducted children occur at early abduction hours, this system will help to reduce or prevent the number of child killed after being abducted (Davidson, 2006).
Conclusively, the Child Protection Bill was a major step taken by the United States government. The bill did not only reduce cases of children abduction, but was also a sign of respect to children rights.
References
Davidson, L. (2006).Bush signs, Hatch praises new Child Protection Act. Retrieved on 17th July 2013 from
