In most cases, the parents don't have to reveal their names or medical histories. The scope of abandonments nationwide is hard to determine because so few records are kept. But a database search of major newspapers by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services showed that 105 infants were abandoned in public places in 1998, including 33 who were dead. Proponents say the laws protect parents who feel they have no option other than abandonment, but want to deliver their newborn to a safe shelter. They note that there has been an inexplicable rise in baby abandonment across the United States and that the legislation represented the best way to ensure the child's safety and well-being.
Some opponents say that offering safe havens encourages abandonment and promiscuous sexual behavior.
They believe that if a couple knows there will be no consequences for their behavior, they will be less likely to act responsibly to prevent the pregnancy in the first place. If you have a username and password, Log In here. If not, please include your name and home town at the end of your reply. Get it off your chest at Streetmail's message board. Today, Don owns the plastics company that has manufactured the item since its creation, and has sold over 20 million of them.