article_snippet.sent: The little boy's disappearance, more than three decades ago, sparked an era of heightened awareness of crimes against children.
article_snippet.sent: Since The Associated Press young son's disappearance, the Patzes have worked to keep the Patz case alive and to create awareness of missing children in the United States.
article_snippet.sent: It awakened the United States," said Ernie Allen, president and chief executive officer of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
article_snippet.sent: It was the beginning of a missing children's movement.
article_snippet.sent: The actual number of children who were kidnapped and killed did not change -- it's always been a relatively small number -- but awareness of the cases skyrocketed, experts said.
article_snippet.sent: But the news industry was expanding to cable television, and sweet images of children appeared along with distraught parents begging for children safe return.
article_snippet.sent: The fear rising across the United States sparked awareness and prompted change from politicians and police.
article_snippet.sent: In 1984, Congress passed the Missing Children's Assistance Act, which led to the creation of the National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenMissing & Exploited Children.
article_snippet.sent: President Ronald Reagan opened the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in a White House ceremony in 1984.
article_snippet.sent: It soon began operating a 24-hour toll-free hot line on which callers could report information about missing boys and girls.
article_snippet.sent: CNN's Lorenzo Ferrigno and Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
highlights_snippet.sent: Etan Patz case marked a time of heightened awareness of crimes against children .
  