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Absent Without Legal Permission (AWOLP) Children
In October of 2002 the Supreme Court began requiring circuit
courts to assist the Department of Human Services (DHS) in locating
children who are identified as being Absent Without Legal Permission
(AWOLP). On October 28, 2002, courts with children appearing
on the list of AWOLP children were required to take immediate action
to locate the children and to report the progress of their efforts to
the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO). >>See "Make Finding Absent Kids 'Highest Priority,' State Judges Told," October 31, 2002.
On November 19, 2002, the Supreme Court entered
Administrative Order 2002-4, which required
all circuit courts to develop a plan for locating AWOLP children. Circuit courts submitted
their plans by the February 1, 2003 deadline. Chief judges were required to develop a plan
for reviewing cases pursuant to Administrative Order 2002-4. >>See
SCAO Administrative Memorandum 2002-12. The plan was to include a process for
formal or informal review and coordination of the court's efforts with other agencies.
>>See "Supreme Court to All Circuit Courts: Create
Plans to Find AWOLP Children," November 19, 2002.
Chief judges and family division judges receive a monthly list of AWOLP children.
In turn, the courts report to SCAO about their progress in locating AWOLP children.
The courts help locate most AWOLP children.
>>See "
Courts Located 79 Percent of Missing Foster Children in 2004," January 20, 2005.
>>See also "
Fifty-Three AWOLP Chidren Found; Chief Justice Praises Progress, Says Job's Not Over," November 14, 2002.
But, despite the best efforts of courts and agencies, children continue to
appear as AWOLP.
>>See
DHS's Child Locator Activities Update.
The majority of AWOLP children are older children who have voluntarily left a court-ordered placement. Children under the age of 12 are reported as AWOLP less frequently,
but are more likely to have been abducted.
Older children present a number of challenges when they are AWOLP. They are mobile, with a desire
for independence being the primary motivation for leaving a court-ordered placement. They have
established relationships that encourage or enable them to leave, frequently with adults. Their
court involvement is a result of neglect or abuse, so they may leave placement repeatedly after apprehension
because they cannot be securely detained. Accordingly, older children may appear on the AWOLP
list numerous times. Courts expend significant resources to locate these children and have limited options for keeping them in a safe environment.
Many cases of AWOLP children are complex, which hinders court efforts
to locate them. For example, a number of AWOLP children have been reported
to be in other states or countries, creating cumbersome, tricky situations
that impede intergovernmental cooperation. >>See Guideline
for Locating Children Missing in Mexico. In a few cases, children
are reported as AWOLP by DHS, but the court in that county does not
have jurisdiction, resulting in indecision regarding the action a court
should take.
Over the years we have learned that a number of approaches taken by circuit courts are effective in locating
children. Larger courts have established a special docket for these cases. Some courts use
formal review hearings, while others use case conferences or informal meetings to obtain information.
Judges and court staff use community contacts to identify and investigate leads that often result
in successfully locating children.
Best Practices Forum
A best practices forum was held September 8, 2006, focusing on strategies to improve delivery of services to these children and their families, as well as successful intervention strategies to reduce the number of children absent from placement. Efforts of Michigan Department of Human Services and Michigan State Police staff to locate AWOLP children were featured and there was candid facilitated discussion regarding issues, concerns, shared strategies, and ideas to improve practices to more effectively locate missing children and prevent children missing from care.
>>View the archived webcast.
Children Missing from Care: AWOLP - An Update
In a January 24, 2008 webcast to participants around the state, Michigan Supreme Court, State Court Administrative Office, Department of Human Services, and Federal Bureau of Investigation staff presented Children Missing from Care: AWOLP - An Update, focusing on Department of Human Services policies and procedures, the Innocence Lost National Initiative, and completion of the AWOLP reporting form.
>>View the archived webcast.
See also information from:
Department of Human Services
- AWOLP Policy Summary and Bulletins
- Child Locator Unit Staff Contact Information and Functions
- Diligent Search, Uniform Crime Reporting System, LEIN Entry, and Suzanne's Law
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- Amber Alert Criteria, A Child is Missing Program, and Missing Child Clearinghouses
- Children Located Out-of-State
- AWOLP Enhancements
- AWOLP Checklist - Child Missing
Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Innocence Lost National Initiative
- High Intensity Child Prostitution Areas
- Child Prostitution Task Forces/Working Groups
- Child Victims
- Continuum of Victimization
- Juveniles Arrested
- Prostitution Venues
- Successful Prosecutions and Major Cases Providing Intel
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
State Court Administrative Office
- Completing the AWOLP reporting forms
Help Us Locate These Missing Children!
Staff and Contact Information
Child Welfare Services
State Court Administrative Office
PO Box 30048
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-1956
FAX (517) 373-8922
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