Mystery Writers Forum
Life and Death => Police Procedures => Topic started by: Laura S on July 10, 2009, 03:08:26 PM
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Hi,
I don’t have much time to post most of the time, although I do try to read everyone else’s posts when I have time. I do have a question this time, though.
I need to know if suicide hotlines are traceable. Say someone calls, is talking to a hotline worker, and states that he or she is going to do bodily injury to him or herself now. Are the police linked into the hotlines? Can they trace a call in order to send help, send an ambulance, etc? Or is it completely anonymous? Do the hotline groups trace the calls or use caller ID to have the numbers?
I need a way (in my current WIP) for someone who is working a hotline to be suspected of tracking down a few people who had called in by either calling them back or sending a letter. If this is completely not possible because no one ever traces the calls and tracing just isn’t possible, then I need to re-think. Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
Laura J
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Laura,
Re your question below:
I need to know if suicide hotlines are traceable. Say someone calls, is talking to a hotline worker, and states that he or she is going to do bodily injury to him or herself now. Are the police linked into the hotlines? Can they trace a call in order to send help, send an ambulance, etc? Or is it completely anonymous? Do the hotline groups trace the calls or use caller ID to have the numbers?
I need a way (in my current WIP) for someone who is working a hotline to be suspected of tracking down a few people who had called in by either calling them back or sending a letter. If this is completely not possible because no one ever traces the calls and tracing just isn’t possible, then I need to re-think. Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
I used to volunteer at a crisis intervention hotline in high school and college. The police aren't necessarily plugged into the line, but they can always be notified if such a call is coming in, and can start a trace. It takes awhile, though. A minumum of 20 minutes back when I was in high school.
The proliferation of cells, which are, as I unerstand it, more difficult to trace, might also be problematic.
On the other hand, Caller ID makes things easier.
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Thanks, Jim. :) This is what I needed to know.
Laura J
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Hi Laura,
A quick note. I talked with a friend of mine who volunteers on such a hotline. She said that they are continaully warned to never give out personal information to the caller because of danger to themselves. Some people call several nights or even weeks in a row because this is their only link to a friendship. Was just thinking that your volunteer could be pulled in by this means. Not only would they be breaking the rules, but it would be a good way for them to be suspected. Just a thought.
Lynette