Locating missing kids with the help of technology

A donation of two OptiPlex GX 50s by Dell SA is set to enhance the chances of locating children reported missing within SA`s borders.

The desktops will be utilised by the South African Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (SACMEC), which is affiliated to the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

The donation will be used to gather and dispense vital information to the police and family members of these children.

Captain Fanie van Deventer, head of the Bureau for missing persons of the South African Police Service (SAPS), explains that currently there is no central information database for missing children under the age of 16 in SA.

"Locally, an estimated 1 400 children are reported missing to law enforcement agencies annually. However, the actual figure is probably significantly higher, as many of these cases are not reported to the authorities but are handled by informal structures within the communities themselves."

Van Deventer says local police resources are stretched to the maximum, meaning cases of missing kids are often not given the prominence they deserve. "One must also bear in mind that this is a specialised area of investigation, demanding intensive training and sophisticated technology. Law enforcement agencies cannot battle these problems on their own, thus an independent agency specialising in dealing with these issues is vital."

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SACMEC was established as a joint effort between local government agencies and the Virginia-based National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

"We hope that this will be the start of a network whereby we can assist the police and they can help us, all in an effort to bring our children home," comments Chris Sibasa, spokesperson for SACMEC.

"Initially we will focus our efforts on the local missing person`s situation, but we envision using the expertise and infrastructure that we build here to catapult this organisation into the rest of the African continent," explains Sibasa.

Technology is vital to the infrastructure that Sibasa has in mind. "By supplying SACMEC with the needed desktops, we are making it is easier for agencies to store and share information regarding missing children," comments Excel Shikwane, Executive Corporate Affairs at Dell SA.

Sibasa is adamant that locating missing children is only part of the solution. "We aim to greatly reduce the exploitation of children in any form or manner. SACMEC wants to foster a society in which children can feel safe and at home."