Unreported missing
Encyclopedia
Unreported missing describes persons who cannot be found, yet have not been or cannot be reported as missing persons
to law enforcement
, specifically the National Crime Information Center
database of missing persons in the United States. The term applies whether the missing person is a child or an adult.
One reason unreported missing persons may not be formally listed as missing is that those over the age of majority
can be "voluntarily missing." Barring evidence of criminality or being a danger to oneself, privacy
and confidentiality
laws generally protect the rights of those who elect to remain out of contact with family or friends. If an adult unreported missing person is located in such an instance, the police are not obligated to inform the family of the missing person's whereabouts.
According to Outpost For Hope, people can become unreported missing for a variety of reasons, including:
Being unreported puts a person at a higher risk of exploitation than a person who is reported missing. There are many different outcomes or ways in which a person can be lost or "off the grid". These outcomes include situations like being mentally ill and lost among the homeless. When this happens, a person could very well be mentally ill or have a drug problem, go into the streets, cannot be reported missing by their family because they have a history of disappearing and then be the victim of murder or human trafficking. The family never sees them again and even if their body is found, the police have no way of tracking the person to their family as they are not listed in any formal missing database.
Another example is of children born to homeless or drug addicted mothers. These children are not registered anywhere and can become victims of crime without any of their other relatives or local agencies knowing. Other children who go missing but are unreported are often runaway foster children or children who are neglected or whose files are simply cases fumbled by police.
Someone can also become an Unreported Missing person through a victim of an exploitative crime, being involved in human trafficking or prostitution. A study by Professor Kenna Quinet states, "The most successful serial killers know to select the unmissed as victims if they intend to kill for an extended period of time". In her study she refers to serial killers targeting transient people because they are not easily missed, as well as people in institutionalized care.
Missing Persons
Missing Persons is an American band who plays a blend of New Wave and Pop rock. The band was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They went on to add bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice...
to law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
, specifically the National Crime Information Center
National Crime Information Center
The National Crime Information Center is the United States' central database for tracking crime-related information. Since 1967, the NCIC has been maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, and is interlinked with similar systems that each...
database of missing persons in the United States. The term applies whether the missing person is a child or an adult.
One reason unreported missing persons may not be formally listed as missing is that those over the age of majority
Age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of...
can be "voluntarily missing." Barring evidence of criminality or being a danger to oneself, privacy
Privacy
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
and confidentiality
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an ethical principle associated with several professions . In ethics, and in law and alternative forms of legal resolution such as mediation, some types of communication between a person and one of these professionals are "privileged" and may not be discussed or divulged to...
laws generally protect the rights of those who elect to remain out of contact with family or friends. If an adult unreported missing person is located in such an instance, the police are not obligated to inform the family of the missing person's whereabouts.
According to Outpost For Hope, people can become unreported missing for a variety of reasons, including:
- the lost/missing person may be estranged from family or friends;
- law enforcement may not take a "missing person" report;
- the lost/missing person may be in the country illegally;
- the person may be an unknown dependent child of an unreported missing adults or teens; or
- the person might be the victim of an undiscovered crime.
Being unreported puts a person at a higher risk of exploitation than a person who is reported missing. There are many different outcomes or ways in which a person can be lost or "off the grid". These outcomes include situations like being mentally ill and lost among the homeless. When this happens, a person could very well be mentally ill or have a drug problem, go into the streets, cannot be reported missing by their family because they have a history of disappearing and then be the victim of murder or human trafficking. The family never sees them again and even if their body is found, the police have no way of tracking the person to their family as they are not listed in any formal missing database.
Another example is of children born to homeless or drug addicted mothers. These children are not registered anywhere and can become victims of crime without any of their other relatives or local agencies knowing. Other children who go missing but are unreported are often runaway foster children or children who are neglected or whose files are simply cases fumbled by police.
Someone can also become an Unreported Missing person through a victim of an exploitative crime, being involved in human trafficking or prostitution. A study by Professor Kenna Quinet states, "The most successful serial killers know to select the unmissed as victims if they intend to kill for an extended period of time". In her study she refers to serial killers targeting transient people because they are not easily missed, as well as people in institutionalized care.