| At a time when violent crime nationwide is on the | | | | range from $39 to $75. The site's motto says it all... |
| decline --murders down 13 percent from 1999 --one | | | | "when in doubt, check them out".... |
| crime statistic is haunting the criminal justice system. | | | | A Child-Abuse Profile? |
| The killing or injury of children by their parents or | | | | Present Federal Interagency Forum on Child and |
| stepparents shows an alarming rise. Between 1976 | | | | Family Statistics reveal that more than thirty-five |
| and 1997, approximately 11,000 children were | | | | percent of our children are being raised in households |
| murdered by those who gave them life or were | | | | with only one of their biological parents and may |
| supposed to give them care. Thousands more were | | | | include a stepparent or an unmarried partner. |
| the victims of life-threatening injuries. | | | | Statistically, a child in that situation shows a forty |
| So it is no surprise that in this era of information and | | | | times greater chance of being abused than when |
| cyber-technology, concerned parents and | | | | living with two biological parents. Small wonder that |
| grandparents are turning for help to one new | | | | the increases in child abuse are skyrocketing, up from |
| website on the Internet. and reports having received | | | | 400,000 reported cases in 1976 to almost 4 million |
| thousands of requests from parents and | | | | reported cases in 1997. |
| grandparents to do background and criminal record | | | | The disturbing reality of escalating child abuse in the |
| checks on the new stepparent or significant other of | | | | United States today is driven home daily by shocking |
| their ex-spouse. | | | | news reports and television broadcasts. In San Diego, |
| " In the past year there has been a tremendous | | | | a seven-month-old baby girl was burned over |
| increase in the number of persons wanting us to do | | | | eighty-five percent of her body when the child's |
| investigations of this nature," notes Linda Alexander, | | | | mother left home briefly to run errands, leaving her |
| a Southern California attorney and website founder. | | | | baby alone with a boyfriend who police say put the |
| "Parents and grandparents want to protect these | | | | infant in scalding water in the kitchen sink. |
| children from potential abuse." | | | | In Springfield, Missouri, an ex-lover and allegedly the |
| Alexander 's online company specializes in a wide | | | | father of an unborn baby, murdered a |
| variety of comprehensive background checks and | | | | nine-months-pregnant mother and her three young |
| criminal record searches designed to verify if persons | | | | children. He confessed to committing these crimes |
| are who they purport to be. Have they ever used an | | | | along with his new girlfriend. In Houston, Missouri, the |
| alias? Do they have a criminal record? Have they | | | | Texas County prosecutor charged Bobby Mayes with |
| committed domestic violence? Are they a registered | | | | killing his wife and teenage stepdaughter. Mayes had |
| sexual offender? A pedophile? Finding the answers to | | | | a prior record of eight felony convictions from sexual |
| such questions is all in a day's work for Alexander | | | | abuse to burglary. |
| and her staff of professional web sleuths. She | | | | With tragedies like these reported in every part of |
| reports that the website has over three quarters of | | | | the country, major concerns arise as to who may be |
| a million hits each month. | | | | trusted with our children. . |
| The service also assists in tracing lost loves, friends, | | | | and has been widely recognized on CBS' "48 HOURS" |
| estranged family members and old army | | | | and the CBS Early Show; The Other Half, Men are |
| buddies,cyber-romance, potential mates, employees, | | | | From Mars Woman From Venus, in People Magazine, |
| business partners, nannies, in-home health care | | | | listed in Yahoo Internet Life Magazine's top 100 sites |
| workers --to find out if they are really who they say | | | | for the Year 2000, Seventeen Magazine, Entrepeneur |
| they are. The cost of the service provided by and | | | | Magazine, Kiplinger Magazine, USA Today. |