The U.S. Department of Justice reports
- Nearly 800,000 children younger than 18 are missing each year, or an average of 2,185 children reported missing each day.
- More than 200,000 children were were abducted by family members.
- More than 58,000 children were abducted by nonfamily members.
- 115 children were the victims of “stereotypical” kidnapping. These crimes involve someone the child does not know or a slight acquaintance who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.
[Andrea J. Sedlak, David Finkelhor, Heather Hammer, and Dana J. Schultz. U.S. Department of Justice. "National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview" in National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, October 2002, page 5.]
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funds ongoing research about missing children through the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART). These researchers published their latest data in 2002, NISMART-2. The researchers will be collecting new data over the next year to use in an update to this study, NISMART-3. To discuss the previous research, please contact Andrea Sedlak at 301-251-4211, SEDLAKA1@WESTAT.com.
For more information, see:
- NISMART-2, October 2002. National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview
- NISMART-2, October 2002. Nonfamily Abducted Children: National Estimates and Characteristics
- NISMART-2, October 2002. Children Abducted by Family Members: National Estimates and Characteristics
- NISMART-2, October 2002. Runaway/Thrownaway Children: National Estimates and Characteristics
- NISMART-2, October 2002. NISMART Questions and Answers
