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Reduction in Number of Missing Children

By: , May 1, 2015

The Key Point:

Registrar at the Office of the Children’s Registry, Mr. Greig Smith, said there was a 10 per cent reduction in the number of missing children in 2014.
Reduction in Number of Missing Children
Photo: Marlon Tingling
Registrar at the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR), Mr. Greig Smith.

The Facts

  • This reduction, Mr. Smith said, was achieved by the OCR working closely with a number of state agencies, including the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
  • Comparing data for the first quarter of 2015 with the similar period for 2014, Mr. Smith said there has also been a reduction in the number of children being reported missing.

The Full Story

Registrar at the Office of the Children’s Registry, Mr. Greig Smith, said there was a 10 per cent reduction in the number of missing children in 2014.

This reduction, Mr. Smith said, was achieved by the OCR working closely with a number of state agencies, including the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

He was speaking on April 30 at a ceremony where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the OCR and the Savanna-la-Mar-based cable provider, Cabletron Network Systems, for the airing of Ananda Alerts on missing children.

The function was held at the National Centre for Youth Development in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.

“During 2014, some 1,984 children were reported missing, while a total of 2,205 were reported missing for the year 2013,” Mr. Smith informed.

Comparing data for the first quarter of 2015 with the similar period for 2014, Mr. Smith said there has also been a reduction in the number of children being reported missing.

“We are also making strides as indicated by preliminary data for the period January to March 2015. When compared to that quarter of 2014 we would have seen 559 children for January to March 2014 being reported missing, compared to 505 for January to March 2015. We are hopeful that this trend will continue,” he said.

Mr. Smith said since the OCR began operation on January 1, 2007, it has received reports of over 37,000 cases of child abuse.

The OCR Head expressed the view that with some 26 children murdered since the start of the year, there could be a link between child abuse and reports of children going missing.

“The data suggest that there ought to be a link between child abuse and missing children. There is also the suggestion that some children leave home because of disagreements with their parents,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Smith said the partnership between the OCR and Cabletron Network Systems will bolster the efforts being made to bring public attention to reports of children going missing.

He noted that the OCR has been working with the Jamaica Library Service, Parish Councils, Post Offices and other Government and Non-Government entities to ensure that all reports of missing children get to the public.

Last Updated: November 1, 2021

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