This week our Community Service Chair, Campbell Maenner, has researched National Missing Persons Day.
Introduction
February 3rd marks National Missing Persons Day in the United States. According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), out of the over 600,000 people who go missing yearly in the U.S. alone, tens of thousands are unidentified. Children are reported missing the most, especially black children, at disproportionately high levels (Elon University). And 40% of missing persons are black. Keep in mind, only around 13% of the U.S. population are black (2020 U.S. Census).
As a society, we are very used to watching fictional crime shows or true crime and forget that thousands go missing alone in the U.S. every year, many of whom are unidentified. A few weeks ago, I was checking out at Walmart, where they had a bulletin board of pictures of missing people in the area. It was a reminder to me, as someone who loves fictional crime shows like Law & Order and Criminal Minds, just how real missing persons are.
Steps to Take When Reporting Someone Missing
- DO NOT WAIT. There seems to be a misconception that you should wait at least 24 hours just in case; however, it is crucial that you report someone missing the moment you have evidence. Police will always accept a report immediately. This especially applies to children, as the first 48 hours after a child goes missing are the most critical, often considered a crucial window for law enforcement to locate a missing child.Â
- Contact your local police department IMMEDIATELY. It is okay to call 911, as someone missing is considered an emergency, and time is of the essence.Â
- If the person missing is a child, call The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCME) at 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678). NCMEC is not a non-profit and operates under the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.Â
- Whether the person is a child or not, the police will report them missing to the National Crime Information Centers missing person files (NCIC). This is a national FBI database. Children must be reported within 2 hours by law enforcement once an official police report is made.Â
- Locate any information you can about the missing person – physical description (hair color, eye color, height, weight, birth marks, etc.), what they were last seen wearing, where they last were, potential vehicle information if pertinent, and recent photos and/or dental records. No information is too small, anything and everything counts in an investigation.
Resources
1. Law Enforcement:
*In the event of an emergency, IMMEDIATELY call 911 to be directed to your closest dispatch center*
TCNJ Campus Police:Â 609-771-2345
For NJ residents, find your local New Jersey Police Department:Â https://www.njsacop.org/content.asp?contentid=66Â
New Jersey State Police Stations:Â https://njleqr.com/contacts.htmlÂ
For PA residents, find your local Pennsylvania Police Department:Â https://www.pachiefs.org/accredited-agencies
Pennsylvania State Police Stations:Â https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/contact-psp/psp-stationsÂ
2. Missing Persons Information
National Center for Missing and Expolited Children:Â 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
The Missing and Murdered Unit within the Office of Justice Services focuses on analyzing and solving missing and murdered cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Serves as a publicity vehicle and clearinghouse of information for missing persons. It attempts to catalog as much information as possible about as many cases as possible into a database as a publicity/investigative aid for the public and law enforcement to help solve cases.
Partners with law enforcement to provide investigative genetic genealogy to solve cases of Jane and John Doe unidentified remains. https://dnadoeproject.org/donate/