AMBER Advocate Magazine

Issue 08

The 2008 National AMBER Alert Conference in Orange County, California marks several firsts, including the participation of Child Abduction Response Team (CART) members and European partners. AMBER Alert activations continue to decline annually—from 275 in 2005 to a projected fewer than 200 in 2008—largely due to improved training, while secondary notifications like text messages see a significant rise. The conference focuses on strengthening partnerships between broadcasters and law enforcement, with sessions analyzing case studies such as the Elizabeth Shoaf and Destiny Norton abductions to enhance collaboration. Awards are presented to Christine Merritt of the Ohio Association of Broadcasters as Broadcast/Media Person of the Year and to Florida AMBER Alert Coordinator Donna Hodges as Coordinator of the Year. During the conference, several states—including New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, and California—actively manage AMBER Alerts. Progress continues in expanding the program to Indian Country, with ten Tribal Nations piloting the initiative. International expansion is also a key topic, as The Netherlands successfully launches its nationwide AMBER Alert system in November 2008, and an international roundtable includes representatives from Canada, Belgium, France, Greece, and the United Kingdom.

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