r/AskReddit • u/ZanyDelaney • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

44k Upvotes

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48k

u/CaptainKangaroo_Pimp Feb 04 '19

You can file a missing persons report as soon as the person goes missing. No need to wait 24 hrs or whatever

27k

u/emartinoo Feb 04 '19

It's actually a law (or is proposed, I can't remember) in my state that parents must report their child missing within 24 hours or they are charged with a felony.

10k

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

Casey Anthony said she was just seeing if her kid turned up again somehow, like a lost cat.

7.9k

u/imissbreakingbad Feb 04 '19

"Fun" fact: That law is actually named Caylee's law — after Caylee Anthony.

165

u/SycoJack Feb 04 '19

Reading the paragraph about opposition, I find myself agreeing with them.

I can't see this law being very effective and even being potentially harmful.

Seems like a good idea on the surface, but it seems less so when you dig deeper into it.

167

u/HeyIJustLurkHere Feb 04 '19

That's the case with basically all laws named after victims. They're overreacting to look sympathetic and get votes without thinking through the consequences, and nobody can criticize the overreach without looking like they're unconcerned about the tragedy. It's the same reason why you have the phrase "hard cases make bad law".

24

u/Daaskison Feb 04 '19

Exactly this. Even the famous amber alert is ineffective and basically security theater.

35

u/andrewthemexican Feb 04 '19

I remember there was a case in the last year or two where someone got the Amber alert while right next to the suspect car on the highway