With National Crime Prevention Month underway, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia today announced the launch of the Ashanti Alert website administered by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Ashanti Alert, created by a Warner-authored law, seeks to notify the public about missing or endangered adults, ages 18 to 64, and assist by way of a national communications network. The public website unveiled today provides information about the law and the National Ashanti Alert Network, and includes links to state missing person programs and other resources.
“Having fought for the passage and nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert nationwide, I’m very proud to announce the launch of a public website that will help the public better understand how to report a missing person,” Warner said. “I’ve been proud to work closely with the Department of Justice on the launch of these resources as we continue to honor Ashanti’s legacy and save lives.”
The Ashanti Alert Law, championed by Warner in 2018, is named after Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old whose body was discovered in North Carolina, 11 days after she was first reported missing in Norfolk. At the time of Ashanti’s abduction, she was too old for an AMBER Alert and too young for a Silver Alert.
In 2023, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) reported 546,097 entries for missing individuals, 34 percent of whom were over 18 when reported missing. The data underscores the urgency of addressing missing adult cases, given that missing person reports for adults do not always receive the same mandatory attention as reports involving juveniles.
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Rebecca Barnabi
