Section 1260.40  Public Policy

a)         Purpose

Each I SEARCH unit shall be established to promote an immediate and effective community response to missing and exploited children and may engage in, but shall not be limited to, the following activities:

1)         Establish and conduct programs to educate parents, children, and communities in ways to prevent the exploitation or abduction of children;

2)         Conduct training and distribute materials providing guidelines for children when they deal with strangers, casual acquaintances, or non-custodial parents, in order to avoid exploitation, abduction or kidnapping;

3)         Compile, maintain, and make available data upon the request of law enforcement agencies and other entities deemed appropriate by the Department to assist in recovering missing children.  These data should include the places of shelter commonly used by runaway children in the geographical area encompassed by the I SEARCH unit.

4)         Draft and implement plans for the most efficient use of available resources to publicize and conduct searches for missing children.

5)         Establish and maintain contacts with other I SEARCH units, law enforcement agencies, and the Department in order to increase the probability of locating and returning missing children, and to otherwise assist in the recovery and tracking of such children.

6)         Conduct other prevention and investigation activities as may be necessary to achieve the goals established by this act.

b)        Discrimination Prohibited

No I SEARCH operating under this Part shall discriminate under this Part on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap in the admission, treatment, or employment in programs or activities and shall ensure that it is in compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 68, pars. 1-101 et seq.), the Illinois Constitution, Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 2000d), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), as amended, and the United States Constitution.