Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Government Assistance for Cases of Missing and Unidentified Persons

This is the best news in a long time! While it's not the magic pill for all the ails us in our cause, it's a huge step forward to help find our missing loved ones and give a name to the unidentified. Helping with the Campaign for the Missing may fill in some of the other gaps.

Government Assistance for Cases of Missing and Unidentified Persons

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS INITIATIVE (NAMUS)

Initiative Will Include Database to Provide National Search and Match of Unidentified Human Remains with Records of Missing Persons

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice today announced the launch of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Initiative (NamUs) to provide the nation's medical examiners, coroners, victim advocates, law enforcement agencies and the general public with the ability to simultaneously search the records of missing persons and unidentified human remains in an effort to solve cases.

"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has emphasized the importance of providing families and law enforcement with the important information that is often critical to solving missing person and unidentified dead cases," said Assistant Attorney General Regina B. Schofield, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). "OJP is proud to lead in addressing this critical problem and fulfilling the request of the Attorney General to improve this nation's ability to identify the missing and put names to the unidentified dead."

Developed by the National Institute of Justice; OJP's research, development, and evaluation component, NamUs provides a national database for unidentified remains for the use of medical examiners and coroners. Ultimately, NamUs will link records from the unidentified remains database with missing persons records through a search and matching tool. NamUs will also serve as a national repository for information on unidentified remains, and missing persons and the resources from around the country. It will be designed to facilitate the work of the diverse community of individuals and organizations who investigate missing and unidentified persons. The NamUs Web site is located at www.namus.gov. The vast majority of unidentified remains cases are currently inaccessible for law enforcement investigative purposes, and are not available to the general public. NamUs will provide an additional tool for law enforcement; and access for medical examiners, coroners, missing person clearinghouses, and the public to track and solve these cases.

The creation of NamUs was motivated by an overwhelming need for a central reporting system for unidentified remains cases. Once complete, NamUs will provide access nationally to clearinghouse capabilities for reporting, locating and matching missing persons records to unidentified remains records. NamUs will use matching formulas that continuously search for similarities between missing person and unidentified person records. Individuals will be able to search the NamUs database using characteristics such as demographics, anthropologic assessments, dental information and distinct body features.

The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Assistant Attorney General Regina B. Schofield, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking Office (SMART). More information can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Be sure to check out the corresponding sites:

http://www.identifyus.org/

This website was developed and is maintained as a public service project of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and The International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME). It is designed to assist in the identification of deceased persons whose names and identities have not yet been established. It includes cases from throughout the United States.

http://www.find-the-missing.org/index.htm

Find-the-Missing.org is being designed to improve the quality and quantity of missing persons data and to simplify the reporting and management of missing persons cases for the justice community and the general public. Law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, and other members of the justice community as well as family members are able to log on to the database to enter data regarding missing persons. The system also provides access to a clearinghouse capability for missing persons that is available not only to law enforcement, but also to the general public.

Kelly Jolkowski,
Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Forum for News and Information
http://projectjason.powweb.com/dpforum/

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Fight For The Missing Kara Kopetsky



Fight For The Missing
The ChildSeek Network is pleased to announce our next "Fight For the Missing Event".
On July 27, 2007, Franchesca Alcanter (The Chosen) will take the case of missing Kara Kopetsky to the ring. Alcanter will be participating in a Titan Entertainment Event.

The event will take place on July 27, 2007 at 8pm
T-Bones Stadium
1800 Village West Parkway
Kansas City, KS

Franchesca will also appear at Side PocketsMissouri - Blue Springs
1237 SW 7 Highway
Blue Springs, MO 64014
Phone: 816-224-5454

Sunday, July 8, 2007
2pm to sign autographs and raffle off autographed boxing gloves.


KARA ELISE KOPETSKY
Missing since: May 4th, 2007 | Age: 17
Location: BELTON, Missouri, Height: 5'5", Weight: approx. 110lbs
Gender: F Race: White/Caucasian Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Hazel
Distinguishing Features: Kara's ears are pierced twice. Her navel is pierced. Kara has a scar on her forehead.
Belton Police believe Kara Kopetsky was seen on Thursday in Louisburg, Kan. in the company of a young man. This sighting is uncomfirmed.

Kopetsky, 17, was reported missing earlier this month. She was last seen before her disappearance at Belton High School on May 4. She is described as a white female standing 5-foot-5 and 125 pounds. She has hazel eyes and brown hair.

Police released a composite sketch of the person Kopetsky was spotted with in Louisburg. He has been described as a white man about 19 years old, standing about 5-foot-8 and 130 pounds. He has medium brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who has seen Kopetsky or the person in the composite sketch is asked to call the Belton Police Deptartment at (816) 331-1500.





Krysti Rosario is the 1998 Everlast Women's National Champion, as well as Athlete Representative on national board of directors for USA Boxing, level 2 official, level 2 coach, announcer & commentator for amateur boxing and most importantly, mother to Cody & Nicolas! Her passion is helping to bring awareness to the plight of missing loved ones. Throughout her web page you will see their faces. It is our hope that by joining together we can make a difference in the search for missing loved ones. If you are a boxer and would like to join the Fight For The Missing, please call the ChildSeek Network at (503) 685-9382 or (503) 957-9963 Email: Child Seek Network ~~~ On March 31, 2006 female pro boxer Franchesca Alcanter took missing teen Ashley Martinez to the ring.




Francesca Alcanter






Sex Female
Nationality US American
Alias The Chosen One
Birth Name Francesca Julianna Alcanter
Global ID US-MO-017104
Federal ID MO054441
Hometown Kansas City, MO, USA
Rated at Lightweight
World Rank 12 / 57
Date of Birth 1973-03-06
Age 33
Stance Orthodox
Height 5' 4
W 16 (9 ko's) | L 7 | D 1 | Total 27
Franchesca has been boxing since 1999



PASSED FIGHT BOUTSSee Who Faught For The Missing In The Past

A Cry for Help