Just the thought that someone you love could be missing can be a debilitating concept to many. And yet, millions of Americans face those fears on an annual basis. According to NamUS (National Missing and Unidentified Persons), over 600,000 Americans of all ages go missing, and around 4,400 recovered bodies are unidentified every year. Reporting your concerns to the police when a child or close contact goes missing is a great first step. But there are definite reasons to call in a Chicago private investigator to help locate a missing person.
Different Cases Receive Different Priority Levels
The definition of a missing person is anyone whose whereabouts are unknown regardless of the reason or consequences of the disappearance. The three categories of missing people are lost people, voluntarily missing persons, and abducted persons. Missing persons occur regardless of age or gender, but 34 is the average age and approximately 60% are men. Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Police departments have to prioritize those cases and decide whether the missing person is in danger before they dive into the case. That’s the department’s decision and children always receive priority.
Amber Alerts Are Incredibly Rare
If you’ve ever heard that obnoxious and jarring Amber alarm go off on your tech device, you know there’s been an abducted child in your area. AMBER is an acronym that stands for “America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response”, and it’s been part of the American lifestyle since 1994. While it’s meant to alert and bring assistance to finding a child in potential danger, those alerts actually only occur for a fraction of missing kids. Before assuming you’ll be able to rely on that if your little one is in trouble, you might need to rethink that plan.
Most Cases Are Runaways–And That’s Not a Crime
Missing persons cases are extremely common, and over 95% of those are considered “runaways”. If you’re a parent of an adolescent or teen, you’ve probably either uttered or heard the threat, “I’m going to run away.” But it’s more than silly words when it actually happens. Police departments are buried in calls and reports by scared parents who discovered their kids have disappeared. But in most cases, runaways return home unscathed within 24 hours of leaving. Running away is not a crime and is not treated as such even though it can lead to an extensive disappearance act, endless worries, and far worse. The police are not the only solution to help locate someone.
Time Is of the Essence
The first 72 hours are essential when it comes to locating someone who is missing. Once the trail cools off, there are far fewer crumbs to track. Depending on the priority level of the case, your local police department may wait a day or two to begin prioritizing the search. And if someone opts to run away or simply doesn’t want to be found, the police may not prioritize that at all. If your loved one is missing and you want to avoid the trouble and red tape, give us a call to be connected to the right Chicago background investigator.