Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

National Estimates Of Missing Children: Selected Trends, 1988-1999., Heather Hammer, David Finkelhor, Andrea J. Sedlack, Lorraine E. Porcellini

Crimes Against Children Research Center

Presents results of an analysis comparing selected findings from the second National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART–2) and its predecessor, NISMART–1. The analysis, which is based on household surveys of adult caretakers and covers victims of family abductions, runaways, and children categorized as "lost, injured, or otherwise missing," highlights trends from 1988 to 1999. The most important finding is the absence of increases in any of these problems. For some types of episodes, the incident rates decreased. This Bulletin is part of a series summarizing results from NISMART–2.