Missing Children's Assistance Act

(Reported to Senate from the Committee on the Judiciary with amendment, S. Rept. 98-499)

Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1983 - Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to require the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to establish and maintain a national toll- free telephone line for reporting information regarding the location of missing children. Directs the Administrator to establish a national resource center and clearinghouse to: (1) provide technical assistance to State and local governments and agencies in locating missing children; (2) coordinate public and private efforts to recover missing children; (3) disseminate information on innovative missing childrens' programs, services, and legislation; and (4) provide technical assistance to law enforcement agencies, State and local governments, and public and private nonprofit agencies.

Requires the Administrator to publish an annual summary of research on missing children and prepare a comprehensive plan for coordinating activities of all agencies and organizations responsible for missing children.

Authorizes the Administrator to make grants for research or demonstration or service programs designed to: (1) educate parents and community agencies on ways to prevent the abduction or sexual exploitation of children; (2) assist in the recovery or tracking of missing children; (3) aid communities in collecting material to assist parents in the identification of their children; (4) demonstrate the psychological consequences of a child's abduction; and (5) collect data on investigative practices utilized by law enforcement agencies.

Requires the Administrator to appoint an Advisory Board on Missing Children to assist the Administrator in coordinating programs and activities relating to missing children.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1988.

Provides for family involvement in delinquency and runaway problems.

Allows for State plans that facilitate coordination of services between juvenile justice and criminal justice systems.

Authorizes programs targeted at gangs whose membership is substantially composed of juveniles.

Allows the National Institute of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to prepare an examination of the treatment of juveniles processed in the criminal justice system and to prepare recommendations for effective means to deter involvement in gangs whose membership is substantially composed of juveniles.

Allows for State plans that provide for the detention in a juvenile facility, for a maximum of five days, of juveniles who are charged with or who have committed offenses that would not be criminal if committed by an adult, if the safety of the juvenile is in danger and no less restrictive alternative is available.

Requires the State advisory group to evaluate the juvenile residential facilities in the State every six months.

Extends for one year a State's deadline date for complying with the mandate to remove all juveniles from jails.

Reauthorizes appropriations through 1988.

Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to make private entities (whether non-profit private or otherwise) eligible for grants under such Act.