Missing Person Research Paper

Words: 564
Pages: 3

When a friend or relative goes missing it can be traumatic, especially if it is a loved one and you are very close. Of course, if the person who has gone missing is a child, you should call 911 emergency immediately. If the missing person is an older teen or an adult, you should take the following steps.

The missing person is an older teenager
If the person in question is a minor, but still in their teens, you should check with their friends and their work, if they are employed. Make sure they are truly missing. The next step is to call the police. Although the police place a strong priority on missing children, once they enter their middle teen years there is also the possibility of the minor being a runaway. If you suspect foul play, you need to explain this to the police.
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The police have limited resources, and they are not likely to offer a great deal of assistance in locating a runaway teen. We, however, routinely find runaway teens. In addition, we may discover the cause of your teen running away, and understanding this can help to avoid a repeat occurrence.

The missing person is an adult
If there is no evidence of foul play, the police may simply tell you to wait until the required time has elapse, and then file a missing persons report. This is usually 48 hours, and being told this can be extremely frustrating, so if you have observed anything unusual surrounding the individual's disappearance, tell this to the police. This is especially true with a change in routine. For example, if your loved one has always been home at a certain time of the evening, and never spends overnight anywhere but home, being missing for as short a time as eight hours may be significant.

File a missing persons