Parental kidnapping. Legal history, profiles of risk, and preventive interventions

Parental kidnapping has become a serious concern in the United States. A national incidence study showed that an unprecedented number of parents had taken action to deprive the other parent of contact with the couple's child. In almost half of these cases, the intent of the abducting parent was to alter permanently the custodial access by concealing the child or taking the child out of the state or country. This article reviews the history of civil and criminal legislation purporting to respond to this problem. It also presents findings from a series of research studies aimed at identifying potential custody violators early on along with preventative interventions.