In 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice reported an average of 200,000 cases of parental kidnapping each year. More than just the byproduct of a nasty custody dispute, parental kidnapping--defined as one parent taking his or her child and denying access of the child to the other parent--represents a form of child abuse that has sometimes resulted in the sale, abandonment and even death of children. This candid exploration of parental kidnapping in America from the eighteenth century to the present clarifies many misconceptions and reveals how the external influences of American social, political, legal, and religious culture can exacerbate family conflict, creating a social atmosphere ripe for abduction.

A look at the history of child kidnappings and abductions in the United States, the motives of the perpetrators, the activities of the media, and the results in the law and in public opinions.

An incisive, multidisciplinary look at the American family over the past 200 years, written by respected scholars and researchers. Family in America offers two powerful antidotes to popular misconceptions about American family life: historical perspective and scientific objectivity. When we look back at our early history, we discover that the idealized 1950s family—characterized by a rising birthrate, a stable divorce rate, and a declining age of marriage—was a historical aberration, out of line with long-term historical trends. Working mothers, we learn, are not a 20th century invention; most families throughout American history have needed more than one breadwinner. In the exciting new scholarship described here, readers will learn precisely what is new in American family life and what is not, and acquire the perspective they need to appreciate both the genuine improvements and the losses that come with change.

The Encyclopedia of Murder and Violent Crime is edited by a internationally recognized expert on serial killers, covering both murder and violent crime in their variant forms. Included will be biographies, chronologies, special interest inset boxes, up to 100 photos, comprehensive article bibliographies, and appendices for things like famous unsolved cases, celebrity murders, assasinations, original source documents, and online sources for information.

For Americans who reside or plan to take up residence abroad, this guide addresses safety and security matters, and provides reference information on a host of issues ranging from health and terrorism to other emergencies.

While most people have heard about high-profile abductions such as the Elizabeth Smart case, such abductions are not isolated cases. The abduction of children occurs much more often in our country than most people would suspect, but because of a fault in our country's national crime reporting procedures, no one knows the true number. This book details the scope of the child abduction problem in the United States, and its very real danger. It covers the different types of abductions and discusses the psychological changes that can occur in long-term abducted children that will often stop them from attempting to escape, or even to seek help, though good opportunities may present themselves. Snow also discusses the danger to secondary victims of child abduction. He devotes several chapters to what both parents and the government can do to stop many of the child abductions that now occur, and, for those not stopped, steps parents can take that will greatly assist the authorities in quickly locating and safely rescuing an abducted child. He concludes with a chapter on the psychological and emotional concerns of recovered abducted children, and how families can help them re-integrate themselves into a normal life. Real life examples are provided in every chapter. It is every parent's worst nightmare. Someone has abducted their child, and no one, including the police, has a clue where the child is. But worse, while parents feel certain their child is terrified and crying desperately for them, they don't know if their child is being physically mistreated, sexually molested, or worse. The uncertainty and powerlessness can drive parents of abducted children to the edge of insanity. But there are measures parents and children can take to avoid being the victim of abduction. There are things families can do, too, to apprehend offenders and bring children home even after an abduction occurs. Here, a retired police captain offers expert advice designed to help keep children safe and to help families deal with an abduction once it has occurred. Practical advice is offered throughout to families and professionals that will help all involved handle this tense and terrifying experience. Featuring such prominent cases as the abductions of the Groene children in Idaho in 2005, Christopher Michael Barrios in Georgia in 2007, Zina Linnick in Washington in 2007, Mychael Darthard-Dawodu in Texas in 2007, Crystal Chavez in Texas in 2002, Elizabeth Smart in Utah in 2002, the Montano children in Florida in 2003, the Walker children in Indiana in 2007, the Nunez children in California in 2002, Emily Johnson in Indiana in 2007, Ludwig Koons in New York in 1993, the Beveridge children to the United States from Australia in 2000, Erica Pratt in Pennsylvania in 2002, Clay Moore in Florida in 2007, the Hari children in Illinois in 2005, Samantha Runnion in California in 2002, Ben Ownby in Missouri in 2007, Shawn Hornbeck in Missouri in 2002, Steven Stayner in California in 1972, Natascha Kampusch in Austria in 1998, Jessica Lunsford in Florida in 2005, Carlie Brucia in Florida in 2004, Amber Hagerman in Texas in 1996, the Nguyen children in Canada in 2006, and Cecilie Finkelstein from Sweden to the United States in 1975.