A MESSAGE FROM MARC KLAAS

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Welcome to the first issue of the Klass Action Review, the newsletter for the Marc Klaas Foundation for Children. As many of you know, I am the father of Polly Klaas, who was kidnapped and murdered in October 1993.

The loss of a beloved child is a terrible experience, especially under such circumstances. I soon realized that I could not simply go back to my life as it had been. I had to do something to help other families avoid the same ordeal, and keep other children from finding the same deadly end.

This led me to co-found the Marc Klaas Foundation for Children. It is a separate organization from the Polly Klaas Foundation, which continues to do excellent work in supporting lost-child searches. Supported by a loyal band of volunteers, the Marc Klaas Foundation for Children, based in Sausalito, California, seeks to strike at the root causes of crimes against children--to find ways to strengthen our society so that such crimes simply cannot happen.

We invite you to join the Marc Klaas Foundation in this work:

• Helping communities and families learn how to work together to prevent crimes;
• Encouraging people to learn more about crime against children its causes, and how to prevent it;
• Educating voters on the necessity of uniform laws to punish and monitor criminals who target children.

Through the Foundation's National Community Empowerment Programs, Americans in more than 25 cities are already linking up with their local law enforcement to help prevent crimes in the making (Teaching Neighboorhoods How to Fight Back). Our Child Identification Packet has helped 1,000 families assemble information on their children to aid searchers in case of emergency (What Can You Do To Help Your Kids). Throughout 1995, the Foundation is co-sponsoring 1,100 Child Safety Days with Kiwanis Clubs of America and the Child Safety Network.

The quarterly Klaas Action Review also helps concerned parents stay well-informed on child-crime issues. See crime specialist Jim Wooton's information-packed article The Truth About Truth-In-Sentencing - - did you know that the average murderer spends only 5.5 years in prison, and child molesters only 2.5 years? You will also find valuable safety information for you and your child on several pages (New 900 Number Protects California Children, How Can Children Help Themselves, Child Safety Fair).

This year I have witnessed our country echo my cry that there is no more time to lose. We demand answers and new leadership to prevent crime, particularly for crimes against children. How much more are we going to take!

Stop taking it, my friends. Let's get together and do something about it. Please fill out and return the form on the back of this newsletter, and join us in defeating crimes against children.

Marc Klaas