Contents 

Brief History of AMBER Alert..................................................................1


The PIO’s Role in an AMBER ALERT ......................................................2


Choosing a PIO ........................................................................................4


Structuring the Incident Management System ....................................5


Organizing Media Briefings ....................................................................6


Ensuring the Message Has Been Received............................................7


Controlling the Spread of Rumors ........................................................8


The PIO’s Role in the Deactivation Phase..............................................9


Thanking AMBER Alert Participants ....................................................10


A Final Word ............................................................................................11


Bibliography ............................................................................................11


Contributors............................................................................................12


July 2006 

NCJ 212703 
AMBER Alert 

Best Practices Guide for 

Public Information Officers 
T he success of an AMBER 

Alert is often measured by 

how quickly and timely a 

public Alert can be issued. Research has shown that when citizens are aware a reliable mechanism exists to help locate abducted children, and when they view 

their role as both worthy and effective, they willingly serve as 

thousands of additional eyes and 

ears on behalf of law enforcement 

(Burns and Crawford, 1999; Zgoba, 

2004; Rothe and Muzzatti, 2004). 

Additional research has shown 

that among missing child cases 

ending in homicide, the murder 

usually occurs within the first 

three hours following the abduction (Hanfland, Keppel, and Weis, 

1997). The AMBER Alert program 

works because citizens know what 

to look for, who to contact, and 

what is at stake. AMBER Alert provides both a dependable method 

for helping law enforcement locate an abducted child and a 

program goal that is widely perceived as both worthwhile and 

noble. Quite simply, AMBER Alert 

is a model program for the public. 

AMBER Alert systems work best 

when all component agencies/ 

organizations function in a 

smooth and consistent manner. 

The effectiveness of the law enforcement agency’s public information operations will be 

enhanced by strong leadership 

and direction based on clear 

departmental policies and 

procedures. 

Brief History of 

AMBER Alert 

The idea for an 

early warning 

system was conceived in 1996 as 

a memorial to 

nine-year-old 

Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while 

riding her bicycle in Arlington, 

Texas, and later brutally murdered. Dallas area broadcasters 

came up with the idea of using 

Emergency Alert System (EAS) 

equipment to rapidly relay child 

abduction information. Broadcasters approached local law enforcement with the concept, and 

America’s first AMBER Alert program was born.The idea was simple: Law enforcement, media, and 

transportation formed a network 

to inform the public of a child 

abduction.The public information 

officer (PIO) would be the communication cornerstone of this network. When police had confirmed 

that a child abduction had taken 

place, the department’s PIO would 

The public information officer (PIO) should be the 

primary point of contact for the media. This means 

that the PIO should be responsible for conveying 

all information from the law enforcement agency 

to the public via the media and for fielding inquiries 

from journalists and the public. 

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 1
notify the media, who would 

broadcast announcements with as 

much information as possible. 

These announcements would enable viewers and the listening 

public to provide the extra eyes 

and ears that could increase the 

likelihood that a child abductor 

would be caught before those first 

three critical hours had elapsed. 

The early warning concept, now 

called AMBER (America’s Missing: 

Broadcast Emergency Response) 

Alert, quickly spread to other communities and states. Some of 

these programs are very sophisticated, while others are still in development. In 2002, President 

George W. Bush directed the U.S. 

Department of Justice to help 

every state set up its own AMBER 

plan. This Best Practices Guide for 

Public Information Officers is designed to help state, regional, and 

local programs develop and improve their plans and to promote 

consistency across all programs. 

This guide is based on hours of 

research, correspondence, and 

discussion with state, regional, 

and local AMBER Alert coordinators and their PIOs, who talked 

openly about their experiences 

and volunteered the content of 

their plans so others could benefit. It presents the wisdom of coordinators working on the frontline 

of the AMBER Alert programs, 

who understand that no two communities or AMBER programs are 

exactly alike but whose goal is 

nevertheless the same: to create a 

national network of AMBER Alert 

plans that will work together for 

the safety of the children. 

The PIO’s Role 

in an AMBER 

Alert 

The PIO’s primary function during 

an AMBER Alert is to convey accurate and timely information from 

the law enforcement agency to 

the public via the media. Law enforcement chief executives and 

supervisors are tasked with running the overall AMBER Alert operation and do not have time to 

field inquiries from the media or 

the public. Similarly, public inquiries should be directed to the 

PIO and away from police dispatchers, whose duties do not include disseminating information. 

A law enforcement agency’s PIO 

performs the following essential 

functions in the AMBER Alert 

program: 

✣ Alerting the public via the media to be on the lookout for a 

missing child. 

✣ Enhancing media coverage of 

the missing child incident by 

providing photographs, videos, 

and other visual aids to help 

identify the victim(s) and/or 

suspect(s). 

✣ Ensuring that the story stays 

alive by providing regular 

2 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 
updates with accurate and 

timely information. 

✣ Directing media and public 

inquiries to their proper 

destinations. 

✣ Gauging public opinions and 

media perceptions for the 

agency. 

✣ Anticipating possible worstcase scenarios and preparing 

the agency’s response to the 

types of questions likely to accompany such scenarios. 

✣ Providing family members and 

friends with effective strategies 

for conducting media interviews and press conferences, 

safeguarding investigatory details of the case, and protecting 

the family’s privacy. 

✣ Participating in post-Alert evaluations to improve systems and 

procedures. 

No law enforcement agency 

should be without a PIO during 

this critical time of need for public 

and media assistance. In the early 

stages of an AMBER Alert, the 

PIO’s presence will be particularly 

prominent. That is when press 

conferences, media interviews, 

and similar events will keep the 

PIO’s name and face in the public 

eye. 

After the Alert has been deactivated and the emphasis shifted to 

the ensuing criminal investigation, 

The PIO will be a key point of contact 

until the AMBER Alert incident is no 

longer a news item. 

the PIO will play a less visible but 

no less important role. Job responsibilities will evolve with 

each new change in circumstances, and the PIO can reasonably expect to take on additional 

duties once the public warning 

phase has ended. 

This guide describes the PIO’s job 

responsibilities and provides tips 

to maximize the PIO’s effectiveness before, during, and after an 

AMBER Alert activation. It offers 

recommendations for helping law 

enforcement agencies achieve a 

smooth, rapid public warning activation program. This guide is not 

meant to usurp or undermine an 

agency’s established policies and 

procedures governing the PIO’s 

role in working with the media 

during an AMBER Alert activation. 

Rather, its purpose is to underscore the value of the PIO as an 

integral member of the public 

warning network, one who will be 

most helpful to the AMBER Alert 

team when he or she has been a 

key member from the outset. 

The department’s chief executive 

officer (CEO) must have confidence in the PIO, and the PIO 

must be able to function with the 

CEO’s authority. An AMBER Alert 

activation does not allow the 

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 3
luxury of time to determine a line 

of authority between the chief and 

supporting personnel such as first 

responders and case supervisors. 

Ideally, the PIO should be involved in an AMBER Alert activation from the very beginning. 

Attempts by the PIO to catch up or 

get up to speed on the events 

leading up to an AMBER Alert or 

that happen during an Alert will 

be time consuming and counterproductive. The best way to ensure the PIO is included in all 

facets of the AMBER Alert process 

is to define the PIO’s responsibilities clearly in the law enforcement 

agency’s policies and procedures. 

Every law enforcement agency 

should establish and regularly update its policies and procedures. 

The procedures for AMBER Alerts 

should clearly identify steps for 

the PIO to follow. For example: 

✣ When and how to notify the 

media that an Alert has been 

issued. 

✣ How to handle or where to direct inquiries from the media. 

✣ How to handle or where to direct inquiries from the public. 

The agency’s procedures will 

likely need to be revised following 

an AMBER Alert incident, when 

the AMBER Alert team evaluates 

the effectiveness of the total 

incident response and makes 

recommendations for improving 

its AMBER plan. 

The PIO’s specific duties during an 

AMBER Alert activation may vary 

among agencies, but are likely to 

be similar in the following key 

ways: 

✣ The PIO either assists in or is 

immediately made aware of the 

decision to activate or deactivate an AMBER Alert. 

✣ The PIO is considered an essential member of the agency’s incident management structure 

before, during, and after an 

AMBER Alert so that he or she 

understands all aspects of the 

operation. 

✣ The PIO continues to be part of 

the incident management structure after an AMBER Alert has 

been deactivated. 

Choosing a PIO 

Ideally, the PIO should work full 

time for the law enforcement 

agency and have expertise in the 

process of releasing information 

to the public through the media. 

However, smaller agencies may 

not have that option. Some 

smaller agencies have to share a 

PIO, while others designate a 

municipal or county employee 

to perform that function. Some 

agencies hire an independent contractor to serve as the PIO. 

4 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 
If a law enforcement agency has a 

small force with no full-time PIO 

position, the agency could designate one key officer in advance to 

handle AMBER Alert responsibilities once an Alert has been activated.The designated PIO should 

then be trained so that he or she 

can be effective in dealing with 

both the media and the public 

during a public warning activity. 

The PIO must be under the control of the chief or sheriff and 

must fully understand the intricate 

process of releasing information. 

In addition, the PIO must have access to information, key agency 

personnel (including the chief or 

sheriff), the crime scene area, and 

other areas where information 

may be generated. 

Once a primary PIO has been appointed, it may be useful to identify a backup PIO to assist or fill in 

when the primary PIO is absent. 

The PIO may wish to designate 

points of contact for specific information, but only the PIO should 

make this decision. In any case, 

the primary designated point of 

contact—the PIO—should remain 

the same. 

Structuring

the Incident 

Management

System 

The Incident Management System 

(IMS) represents National Incident 

Management System protocol as 

required by statutory regulations 

of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.The PIO should be 

strategically placed within the IMS 

so that he or she has direct access 

to all law enforcement personnel 

in command of the operation. Access to information is essential for 

the PIO to establish a smooth flow 

of information to the public and 

monitor how well the media are 

disseminating details about the 

Alert. 

The structure of the IMS should allow the PIO to make immediate 

contact with command personnel 

and, at the same time, to deliver 

Incident Commander 

Command 

Position 

Incident Commander

Command

Position

PIO

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 5

Figure 1. Optimal Position of PIO in IMS 

Command 

Position 

Command

Position

Command 

Position 

Command

Position

Command 

Position 

Command

Position
messages to and retrieve information from personnel within the 

overall operational response structure. Figure 1 shows the optimal 

position of the PIO within the IMS. 

This management structure gives 

the PIO access to the IMS commander and to the individual command officers who work with all 

investigative aspects of the AMBER 

Alert. Traditional command hierarchical structures incorporate the 

PIO into the key deliberative and 

decisionmaking bodies within the 

law enforcement agency. A PIO 

who has access to key decisionmaking processes will be in the 

best possible position to ensure 

that only responsible messages 

that will effectively inform the public about law enforcement’s search 

for a missing child are delivered to 

the media. 

Organizing 

Media 

Briefings 

The PIO should be responsible 

for all logistics involving media 

briefings, including creating the 

briefing schedule, establishing the 

location of the briefings (away 

from the command center if possible), and securing parking for 

media vehicles. In addition, the 

PIO should do the following: 

✣ Choose a location for the briefing area that will meet the 

needs of both investigators and 

the media. The PIO should consider parking lots and other 

public areas rather than law enforcement headquarters. 

✣ Set the tone for the media briefing. He or she should also remain in control of the entire 

briefing and of the briefing environment (e.g., where it takes 

place, participants’ roles, structure of briefing). 

✣ Consider creating a pool 

arrangement with the media, 

if necessary. 

✣ Alert the media if the briefing 

will be broadcast as a live television news conference. 

Getting a Grip on Technology 

New developments in technology will affect the dissemination of information to and the retrieval of information from the public. All 

PIOs should be able to use current technologies such as faxes, digital 

scanners and cameras, e-mail communications, and Web sites. PIOs 

also should keep abreast of new satellite technologies such as XM 

and SIRIUS satellite transmissions and OnStar emergency road service, which undoubtedly will play a role in the future of AMBER Alert 

communications. 

6 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 
✣ Start every media briefing 

with an opening statement by 

an appropriate law enforcement 

official followed by a questionand-answer session (if previously agreed to by officials). 

✣ Provide additional information 

about the victim(s) and/or suspect(s) along with photographs 

and home videos if available, 

as approved by command officials, to enhance the media’s 

coverage of the incident. 

✣ Enlist the aid of media technical 

personnel if copies of videotapes or audiotapes and live 

feeds are necessary (if family 

members and/or the commander in charge of the investigation 

have granted approval for their 

use). 

✣ Use a digital camera and 

have the capacity to transmit 

digital photos to the media if 

necessary. 

✣ Take and disseminate photographs of selected areas of 

crime scenes to aid in identification, if appropriate. Such photos 

should be disseminated only 

with command officials’ 

approval. 

✣ Plan for worst-case scenarios by 

anticipating both the types of 

questions that are likely to arise 

in such a scenario and the 

agency’s response. 

Ensuring the 

Message Has 

Been Received 

During the public warning phase, 

AMBER Alerts are generally disseminated through text messaging, which means the request for 

activation and the ensuing public 

warning messages are most often 

in written form. Written messages 

are found on U.S. Department of 

Transportation veritable message 

signs as well as on television 

broadcasts, where a verbal Alert 

announcement is often accompanied or followed by a written text 

message “crawling” across the 

top or bottom of the television 

screen. All messages are generated from a law enforcement 

agency. 

A PIO whose responsibilities include requesting the media to activate an AMBER Alert is equally 

responsible for ensuring that the 

message has been understood 

and properly carried out. A PIO 

who does not have this responsibility should nevertheless verify, 

on behalf of his or her agency, 

that the request for activation has 

been made. 

The PIO should not assume an 

AMBER Alert message has been 

received just because it was sent 

by traditional means such as fax 

or e-mail. The PIO should do the 

following to verify that the 

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 7
AMBER Alert message was 

received: 

✣ Telephone the appropriate 

broadcast media representative 

for confirmation. 

✣ Follow up with an e-mail or text 

message, where available. 

Finally, the PIO should be prepared! An AMBER Alert can generate an immediate demand for 

information from all types of media, both local and national, and 

rapid updates of accurate information are critical. This sudden demand can be overwhelming, 

especially for a small agency. 

Controlling the 

Spread of 

Rumors 

Rumors, false or misleading information, and innuendoes frequently emerge during any law enforcement incident or investigation, 

and AMBER Alert warnings are no 

exception. Because journalists will 

seek additional information on 

their own from a victim’s family 

members, friends, and witnesses, 

rumors can develop quickly. Monitoring rumors and staying informed about all aspects of the 

agency’s investigation are vital for 

the PIO. Fortunately, the PIO has 

the distinct advantage of being in 

a strategic position to control the 

information delivered to the public and thus to help counter potential problems early. 

The PIO should do the following: 

✣ Monitor all media coverage of 

an AMBER Alert incident, including special Alert announcements, continuing news media 

coverage, television and radio 

talk shows, and Web sites maintained by conventional and nonconventional media. 

✣ Recognize that the media are 

participating voluntarily in an 

AMBER Alert and do not wish to 

be viewed as an extension of a 

law enforcement action. The 

media respect law enforcement 

agencies much more when 

those agencies recognize that 

the media’s primary responsibility is to inform the public 

independently. 

✣ Be aware that once an AMBER 

Alert has been activated, the 

story will be pursued aggressively. This means the “angle” 

of the story may change in unpredictable ways. For example, 

the AMBER Alert process may 

be analyzed, the criminal investigation may be scrutinized, and 

the public’s response may be 

evaluated—all in the public 

domain, with little or no direction from law enforcement. 

8 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 
✣ Collect as much information as 

possible about any circulating 

rumors and be vigilant in negating any incorrect or misleading 

reports that arise. The PIO 

should address incorrect information directly by contacting 

the appropriate news media 

outlet or by issuing a special 

agencywide news announcement that specifies the correct 

information to be conveyed to 

the public. 

✣ Make no attempt to seize media 

videotapes or audiotapes 

(whether broadcast or outtakes), 

notes, photographs, or other 

material that is owned by or in 

the possession of the media. 

Frequently, a simple request for 

a copy of the material will be 

honored by the media. 

Finally, as a representative of law 

enforcement, the PIO should be 

aware that some information uncovered by the media may need to 

be investigated. 

The PIO’s 

Role in the 

Deactivation 

Phase 

Because most AMBER Alerts will 

transition to full-blown criminal 

investigations, the incident commander should inform the PIO 

when the AMBER Alert phase has 

concluded and the investigatory 

phase has begun. The role of the 

PIO in an AMBER Alert does not 

end when the public warning has 

been deactivated. Rather, the 

PIO’s job enters a new phase, and 

the PIO must be prepared to serve 

in this mode. In particular, the PIO 

will have to abide by agency policies and legal restrictions that 

govern information dissemination. Disclosures that are permitted during an AMBER Alert may 

not be allowable once the incident 

has transitioned from public 

warning to criminal investigation. 

Deactivation of an AMBER Alert 

will likely lead to additional responsibilities for the PIO. For example, the PIO may be called 

on to advise and even coach a 

victim’s family members, who 

may be participating in media 

interviews for the first time in 

their lives. The PIO also may need 

to contact agencies that provide 

counseling to work with a victim’s 

family members and friends. 

These duties can consume much 

of the PIO’s time and energy; 

therefore, the agency chief should 

monitor the situation carefully 

and consider designating a liaison 

to work directly with the family, if 

necessary. 

Once the public warning phase 

has ended, the PIO should do the 

following: 

✣ Inform the news media immediately that the AMBER Alert incident has transitioned to a 

criminal investigation and explain why information sought 

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 9
Once an AMBER Alert has been issued, it 

is public information and cannot be taken 

back. Also, the Alert does not end until 

proper deactivation procedures have 

been completed. 

by the media will now be restricted. (Knowledge of the 

provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and state statutes 

on public records is essential.) 

✣ Be aware of the information 

contained in public documents 

such as unsealed arrest warrants, search warrants, incident 

reports, and affidavits, and be 

prepared to respond to any 

questions that may arise as a 

result of such disclosure. 

✣ Be prepared to help victims’ 

families by coaching them on 

the most effective ways to deal 

with media attention and the 

pros and cons of being interviewed by the media. Tell 

families specifically what information they should and should 

not mention, in accordance with 

the advice of investigators and 

prosecutors working on the 

case. 

✣ In rural areas where local radio 

stations are in “night broadcast 

mode,” PIOs should follow the 

procedure for sending an EAS 

alert to ensure that updated information can be broadcast. 

Thanking 

AMBER Alert 

Participants 

After the AMBER Alert phase is 

over, the PIO should acknowledge, 

on behalf of the agency and CEO, 

the contributions of all those who 

were involved, including broadcasters, local businesses, government agencies, and law enforcement agencies that supported the 

effort with additional manpower 

and other resources. Specifically, 

the PIO should do the following: 

✣ Acknowledge and thank all media, including nontraditional 

outlets such as newspapers, cell 

phone providers, and co-owned 

Web-based services, for their 

assistance in publicizing the 

AMBER Alert. 

✣ Acknowledge and thank other 

organizations that volunteered 

time and services on behalf 

of the missing child (e.g., utility companies, taxicab companies, various nonprofit organizations, and other groups and 

businesses). 

✣ Acknowledge and thank all law 

enforcement agencies (federal, 

state, and local) that participated in both the search and investigative phases of the incident. 

10 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 
A Final Word 

AMBER Alert programs nationwide may differ in their policies 

relating to the person tasked to 

request activation of an Alert, the 

criteria that dictate when an Alert 

is to be activated, and the person 

who decides when an Alert is to 

be deactivated. However, the 

PIO’s role—to set the overall tone 

during an Alert and to control the 

flow of information based on legal 

restrictions and agency policies 

already in place—should not vary. 

Similarly, law enforcement agencies are not the same in size, 

structure, or composition. Larger 

agencies usually have a PIO in 

place to keep the public informed. 

Smaller agencies, on the other 

hand, often lack personnel and/or 

resources to hire a dedicated PIO 

and therefore must rely on the 

temporary appointment of a line 

or supervisory officer to manage 

this task. As a result, the PIO’s role 

can range from direct, hands-on 

responsibility in the decision to 

activate an Alert to little or no immediate involvement. 

In all agencies, the PIO should not 

be encumbered during an AMBER 

Alert incident with responsibilities 

other than the dissemination of 

information to the public that aids 

in the recovery of an abducted 

child. This in turn will allow key investigative personnel to focus exclusively on their goals of safely 

recovering the missing child and 

investigating the circumstances of 

the disappearance. 

Ultimately, the PIO’s role in an 

AMBER Alert is fluid. The PIO’s 

functions can change with each 

new set of circumstances. Above 

all, the PIO must remember that 

once an AMBER Alert has been issued, it is public information and 

cannot be taken back. Also, the 

Alert does not end until proper 

deactivation procedures have 

been completed. 

Bibliography 

Burns, R., and Crawford, C. 1999. 

School shootings, the media, and 

public fear: Ingredients for a 

moral panic. Crime, Law and Social Change 32(2):147–168. 

Hanfland, K.A., Keppel, R.D., and 

Weis, J.G. 1997. Case Management for Missing Children Homicide Investigation. Olympia, WA: 

Office of the Attorney General, 

State of Washington. 

Higginbotham, J. 1989. Legal issues in media relations. FBI Law 

Enforcement Bulletin 58(7):25–30. 

McIntyre, T. 1986. The Freedom of 

Information Act: An overview for 

law enforcement. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (August):13–19. 

AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 11
Merlo, A., and Benekos, P.J. 2000. 

What’s Wrong With the Criminal 

Justice System: Ideology, 

PolitIMS, and the Media. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing. 

Munn, H. 1988. The Media and 

Law Enforcement. Columbia, SC: 

University of South Carolina. 

Rothe, D., and Muzzatti, S.L. 2004. 

Enemies everywhere: Terrorism, 

moral panic, and US civil society. 

Critical Criminology 12(3): 

327–350. 

Surette, R. 1998. Media, Crime, 

and Criminal Justice: Images 

and Realities. Belmont, CA: 

Wadsworth. 

Winner, R.D., and Dominick, J.R. 

2003. Mass Media Research: An 

Introduction, 7th ed. Belmont, CA: 

Wadsworth. 

Zgoba, K.M. 2004. Spin doctors 

and moral crusaders: The moral 

panic behind child safety legislation. Criminal Justice Studies: A 

Critical Journal of Crime, Law and 

Society 17(4):385–404. 

Contributors 

This guide was prepared with the 

assistance of practitioners in the 

law enforcement field who provide information to the public 

about missing children’s issues 

and the National Information Officers Association, a voluntary professional organization located in 

Knoxville, Tennessee. The following individuals also helped to prepare this guide: 

✣ Don Aaron, Director of Public 

Information, Metro Nashville 

(Tennessee) Police Department. 

✣ Lt. Jimmy Glascock, New Mexico State Police. 

✣ Cpl. Don Kelly, Public Information Director, Baton Rouge 

(Louisiana) Police Department. 

✣ Hugh Munn, Instructor, College 

of Mass Communications and 

Information Studies, University 

of South Carolina, Columbia. 

✣ Gus Paidousis, Deputy Chief, 

Knoxville (Tennessee) Police 

Department. 

✣ Jenni Thompson, Consultant, 

Fox Valley Technical College, 

Criminal Justice Division. 

12 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 


For more information about the AMBER Alert program,


including training, technical assistance, and laws,


visit the U.S. Department of Justice Web site at:


www.AMBERALERT.gov


To report an emergency situation or to 


provide information about a missing or exploited child,


call 911 to notify your local police, or call


800–THE–LOST (800–843–5678) 


To report information about child pornography,


child molestation, child prostitution, and the 


online enticement of children,


log on to the CyberTipline at:


www.cybertipline.com 


For more information on missing and 


exploited children, visit the National Center for 


Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at:


www.missingkids.com

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention *NCJ~212703* 

Washington, DC 20531 

Official Business 

Penalty for Private Use $300 

July 2006 

NCJ 212703