AMBER Alerts on the decline

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the number of alerts has declined in the past three years, and I think that can be interpreted as a good thing. There were 275 alerts issued nationwide in 2005, falling to 262 in 2006 and 227 in 2007. As of May 31 this year, there were only 74 alerts. The AMBER Alert program started when local broadcasters in Dallas-Fort Worth teamed up with law enforcement officials to create an early warning system. It was a legacy to Amber Hagerman, 9, who was kidnapped and murdered in 1996. The name also stands for "America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response." Here's more from stateline.org.