When a person goes missing, the police first establish the risk level to the missing person. High risk missing persons, such as children, receive immediate police attention. If a person has been missing less than 72 hours, it is considered an informal case. Most people are found within 48 hours. Friends and family of missing persons experience emotions like crying and loss of appetite due to the uncertainty of the situation. Around 250,000 people are reported missing in the UK each year, and children not living in two-parent households and girls ages 12-17 are most at risk for going missing.

1. WHAT ACTION IS
TAKEN AFTER A
PERSON GOES
MISSING?

2. - The police start off by establishing how much risk
is to the person who’s gone missing.
- They care more about the likeliness of a person
going missing rather than going missing as an event
in itself, due to people rarely disappearing
without a reason.
- There are common factors of a person going missing,
including ethnicity, gender, religion and
sexuality.
- These factors determine the speed and scale of the
investigation.
- Missing people are divided into high, medium and
low risk.
- People that unexpectedly disappear are on the
higher ranger of the risk spectrum
- High risk people receive immediate police
attention.
The Police:

3. The Police:
- There are a wide range of reasons as to why people go
missing- from getting lost on adventures to being
taken to people who decide to leave (failed
relationships, unpayed taxes, stress etc…) to people
who go missing unintentionally.
- If a person is reported missing to the police under
72 hours, then it is seen as an ‘informal’ case.
- Most people are found within 48 hours.
- The police can suspect your whereabouts based on your
gender and age, due to evidence of past cases.
- Adults have a ‘legal right’ to disappear whilst
children do not.
- If the police find a reported missing adult and the
person in interest tells them that they intentionally
went missing, then they can tell the family but not
reveal his/hers whereabouts.

4. Friends and Family:
- Reactions to someone loved going missing
include crying, loss of appetite, sleepless
nights, feelings of confusion etc…
- It has an effect on their relationships with
other people- such as anger.
- They may feel unsure on how to feel because you
are not yet used as to what’s happened
- It is suggested to talk to someone as it may
help them cope with not knowing.
- It’s bad to demand friends and family to help
them find someone and should instead let them
help them with day-to-day activities.

5. Friends and Family:
- A missing person may cause a friend or family-member
unwanted social media attraction.
- "It's just soul destroying, because you have all
these questions in your head – questions that can't
be answered," says Julie. "I do go through some very
dark moments. Some nights I don't sleep at all.
Mornings are my worst. I get up and have a good old
cry, and lock myself in the bathroom with the taps
running so no one can hear." (quote from wife after
son went missing)
- They may be affect a person’s day-to-day routine.
Friends or family don’t change their hairstyle
because they’re frightened of the missing person not
recognising them if they decide to come home.
- People live in ‘limbo’ for years after a close one
has gone missing and may remain traumatised forever.

6. Statistics:
250,000 British
people are reported
missing in the UK
per year
93% of children who go missing
do not live in a two-parent
household
71% of missing 12-
17-year olds are
girls.
One person goes
missing every 2
minutes
Children who don’t
have any siblings
are more likely to
disappear.
The police spend 14%
of their time
looking for missing
people
If the police are
looking for a missing
child, girls are more
likely to be found
inside whilst boys are
more likely to be found
outside
- "In terms of 15 to 16-year-olds, 30%
came back to where they'd started
from without any police intervention.
Just under 30% went to friends'
houses, and 14% were found walking
the street. In terms of distance
travelled, 80% of them were found
within 40km. So it just tells you
that 'missing' is a very local issue.
They are most likely to be found very
close by." – BBC news report.
12-17-year olds are the highest group
that are reported missing.
It is 0.6% likely that the missing person was
murdered is found dead.

7. - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19360824
- https://www.sane.org/mental-health-and-illness/facts-and-
guides/coping-when-someone-goes-missing
- https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/wd79yy/what-
happens-when-someone-goes-missing-uk
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-
missing-each-year-275000-britons-disappear-1801010.html