According to the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention publication A Family Resource Guide on International Parental Kidnapping, the following are the personality profiles of parents who may pose an abduction risk. Parents with one or more of these personality profiles should be considered higher risk. These do not change with time, so permanent restrictions on international travel and perhaps visitation should be considered.
Profile l: Parents who have threatened to abduct or have abducted previously.
Profile 2: Parents who are suspicious or distrustful because of their belief that abuse has occurred and who have social support for their belief.
Profile 3: Parents who are paranoid.
Profile 4: Parents who are sociopathic.
Profile 5: Parents who have strong ties to another country and are ending a mixed-culture marriage.
Profile 6: Parents who feel disenfranchised from the legal system (e.g., those who are poor, a minority, or victims of abuse) and have family and social support.
The Department of Justice lists these red flags as well. (ibid.) If one or none of the profiles fit the parent, temporary restrictions may be warranted. As conditions change time, the court may tighten or loosen restrictions.
Previously abducted or threatened to abduct the child. Some threats are unmistakable, such as when an angry or vindictive parent verbally threatens to kidnap the child so that “you will never see the child again.” Others are less direct. For instance, you may learn about the other parent’s plans through casual conversation with your child.
Citizenship in another country and strong emotional or cultural ties to the country of origin.
Friends or family living in another country.
No strong ties to the child's home state.
A strong support network.
No financial reason to stay in the area (e.g., the parent is unemployed, able to work anywhere, or is financially independent).
Engaged in planning activities, such as quitting a job; selling a home; terminating a lease; closing a bank account or liquidating other assets; hiding or destroying documents; or securing a passport, a birth certificate, or school or medical records.
A history of marital instability, lack of cooperation with the other parent, domestic violence, or child abuse. (Note from KOKHI, both the domestically violent spouse and the spouse who falsely accuses of violence should raise a red flag. So, any family in which DV was alleged should automatically have foreign travel restricted.)
Reacted jealously to or felt threatened by the other parent’s remarriage or new romantic involvement.
A criminal record.
If you want help keeping your child safe, contact us.
