Missing Persons and Kidnapping Cases

Each year, thousands of people in the United States and around the world disappear without a trace. Many of these people are found, however many of them are not. When a person disappears, there is always a chance that someone will find them, if the right protocol is followed. If authorities and police fail to locate them, it may be prudent to consider taking a different approach and hiring a private investigation firm.

Kidnapping and Abduction

Kidnapping is a very serious charge, and can be very difficult to solve. However, when a person takes a child over state lines, things can become even worse. When someone kidnaps a child, the police department in the state where the kidnapping happened is in charge of the investigation. The state where the abduction happened is the state that heads up the investigation. The police from that particular state attempt to find the child that has disappeared. If a person is found to have kidnapped a child, it is also the state that will punish them for this action. The punishment for kidnapping varies according to several factors. These factors include how long the child was missing, what happened to the child while they were missing, and what the result of the kidnapping was.

When a child is taken over state lines, the situation gets worse. In the United States, kidnapping a child is an offense that is made worse if the kidnapper takes the child over state lines. At this point, the FBI gets involved. Therefore, when a person is charged with kidnapping a child, and they took the child over state lines, they are going to get a much higher punishment. In Europe, a kidnapper will be in much more trouble if they have taken a child from one country to another.

Missing Children

Most of the missing persons cases in the United States and Europe have to do with missing children. Children are taken every day from parks, roadways, and other public areas such as shopping centers and schools. In most of the missing children cases, time is an extremely important factor. When a child is taken, the two days following the abduction are the most important period for authorities and investigators. If a child is taken and recovered within the following forty-eight hours, the child has a better chance of being found alive. However, after forty-eight hours have passed, the chance is much lower that the child will be found alive, or that they will be found at all.

Child abductions have been happening in the world for many years. They have also been happening in the undeveloped world for a long time, although these are not as publicized as those that happen in the developed world. In the United States and Europe, child abductions have declined in the past twenty years. This is mostly due to the heavy increase in education for children. In the United States and Europe, children are taught to stay out of situations where abductions might occur. They are also taught what to say and do if a person approaches them and attempts to lure them away. However, despite the best efforts of government programs and family awareness, there are still many children that disappear each day.

Protocol for Missing Persons and Children

There is a certain protocol that is followed when a child is missing. Even though the police systems in the United States may vary from state to state, the protocol is generally the same. The main idea is to get the information out to the public as soon as possible.

When a child is reported as missing, the first thing that happens is that a complete description of the child is taken. This will include as much information about the child's background and appearance as possible. Therefore, the eye color, hair color and size of the child will be recorded. The police or private investigator will also want to know what the child was wearing when they disappeared. Other recognizable characteristics that might be requested include things on the child's body, such as scars or birthmarks, as well as unique behavioral patterns such as disabilities or speech patterns.

Information is also gathered regarding the person who took the child, if available. This might include a description of the person, the vehicle being driven, or any other information about the kidnapper. This information is taken from clues found at the scene, as well as from eyewitness accounts.

After the descriptions have been taken, and a current photo of the child has been collected, the police or private investigator move into the next phase of the investigation, which mainly entails getting the  information out to the public. In the United States, when a child is missing, an Amber Alert is put out, which is a public notification giving a description of the child and also a description of the person who took the child if possible.

From this point on, the investigation is considered open. The police will work with tips and eyewitness accounts, in order to find the missing child as soon as possible. The case is continued to be open until the child is found.

If, after a period of time, the police and state authorities are either unable or unwilling to continue the investigation into a person's disappearance, hiring a private investigator to continue looking for the missing person is highly advisable and can lead to the eventual discovery of the missing person. There are no guarantees in cases of kidnapping and missing persons, however a private investigator may be able to explore avenues not considered or attempted by authorities.