Photos of Missing Children to Appear in IRS Tax Products

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service’s ability to reach tens of millions of American households each year is being put to an unprecedented use—the search for missing children.

The IRS is partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to dramatically expand the distribution of photos of lost, abducted and runaway children.

Pictures of missing children will appear in 1999 IRS tax form instructions and taxpayer information publications starting later this year. The photos will be provided by NCMEC and will be accompanied by information about the children and the NCMEC’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline number (1-800-843-5678).

"One in six missing children is found as a direct result of someone recognizing their photos, and we count ourselves extremely fortunate to have the IRS as a powerful new partner in our Picture Them Home campaign," said Ernie Allen, president of NCMEC. "We are confident this new program will help us resolve cases and reunite more missing children with their families."

An Executive Memorandum from President Clinton called upon government agencies to assist in locating missing children. For its part, the IRS will post pictures of missing children in its walk-in centers and print their pictures on otherwise blank pages of tax form instructions and publications.

The IRS is also establishing a link from its Web site (www.irs.gov) to the NCMEC Web site at www.missingkids.com.

"The IRS is proud to participate in this important program," said IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti. "By utilizing space in tax products, the IRS has an opportunity to bring these pictures to the public in an effective and unprecedented way."

"The initiative represents a long-term commitment by the IRS to NCMEC’s cause," Rossotti said.

Created in 1984, the private, nonprofit NCMEC has aided law enforcement officials in the search for over 67,000 missing children. More than 48,000 children have been returned to their families as a result.

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