Home About Us CJIS NCIC NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2009
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2009

NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2009

Pursuant to Public Law 101-647, 104 Statute 4967, Crime Control Act of 1990 Requirements

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE
NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2009
NCIC MISSING PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2009
NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE CATEGORY/ AGE/SEX/RACE 2009
NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE—YEARLY TOTALS AND PERCENT CHANGE
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2009
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2009
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE—YEARLY TOTALS AND PERCENT CHANGE
NCIC MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED ENTRY COMPARISON CHART

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE

The National Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely, until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. The Missing Person File contains records for individuals reported missing who:

  • have a proven physical or mental disability (Disability—EMD),
  • are missing under circumstances indicating that they may be in physical danger (Endangered—EME),
  • are missing after a catastrophe (Catastrophe Victim—EMV),
  • are missing under circumstances indicating their disappearance may not have been voluntary (Involuntary—EMI),
  • are under the age of 21 and do not meet the above criteria (Juvenile—EMJ), or
  • are 21 and older and do not meet any of the above criteria but for whom there is a reasonable concern for their safety (Other—EMO).

As of December 31, 2009, NCIC contained 96,192 active missing person records. Juveniles under the age of 18 account for 44,349 (46.1 percent) of the records and 12,461 (13.0 percent) were for juveniles between the ages of 18 and 20.*

During 2009, 719,558 missing person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 7.5 percent from the 778,161 records entered in 2008. Missing Person records cleared or canceled during the same period totaled 726,130. Reasons for these removals include: a law enforcement agency located the subject, the individual returned home, or the record had to be removed by the entering agency due to a determination that the record was invalid.

The Missing Person Circumstances (MPC) field is optional and has been available since July 1999 when the NCIC 2000 upgrade became operational. Of the 719,558 records entered in 2009, the MPC field was utilized in 307,672 (42.8 percent). When the MPC field was utilized in 2009 entries, 304,580 (99.0 percent) were coded as Runaway; 2,598 (0.8 percent) as Abducted by Non-Custodial Parent, and 494 (0.2 percent) as Abducted by Stranger. In 2008, the MPC field was utilized in 306,657 (39.4 percent) of the 778,161 records.

*This fulfills requirements as set forth in Public Law 101-647, 104 statute 4967, Crime Control Act of 1990 stating the Attorney General is to publish a statistical summary of reports of missing children. This act was modified April 7, 2003, by "Suzanne's Law" that changed the age of mandatory missing person record entry from under 18 to under 21 years of age. [ref. 42 USC 5779(c)].

Contact Information:

The Criminal Justice Information Services Division’s (CJIS) NCIC Operations and Policy Unit (NOPU) NCIC Group distributes monthly NCIC extracts—the Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis—to each CJIS System Officer and/or to the agency in the state that has been designated as a point of contact.

The NOPU routinely responds to requests for nationwide statistics from law enforcement agencies and the media concerning the NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Files for public release.

The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested data. Archive statistics are available upon request.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the FBI’s NOPU NCIC Group at 304-625-3000 or ioau@leo.gov.

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2009

MISSING PERSON

ACTIVE ENTRIES AS OF 12/31/2009

96,192

TOTAL FILE TRANSACTIONS

1,759,860


ENTRIES

719,558


REMOVED

726,130


LOCATES

32,843


MODIFIED

60,576


MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL

157,115


CANCELED SUPPLEMENTAL

3,062


QUERIED MISSING PERSON FILE ONLY

60,576


QUERIED NCIC SYSTEM-WIDE BY NAME

1,651,984,570


ENTRIES—Records entered do not include supplemental record entry messages which are used to add specific identifiers, including dental data, to a Missing Person Record on file in NCIC.

REMOVED—Records removed are a total of the cancel, clear, and locate messages received by the NCIC computer. Excluded are counts of supplemental record cancellation messages which are used to remove specific identifiers, including dental data, from a Missing Person record.

LOCATES—Are transactions to remove entries when the subject has been found by an agency other than the entering agency.

MODIFIES—Modifies include base record modification messages, supplemental record entry messages, and supplemental record cancellation messages. Counts of supplemental dental entry messages and supplemental dental cancellation messages are not available.

QUERIED MISSING PERSON FILE ONLY—Records queried are when agencies inquire on a record for information purposes.

In January 1987, clears and cancels were combined on the statistical report.

NCIC MISSING PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2009


EMJ

EMJ

EME

EME

EMI

EMI

EMD

EMD

EMV

EMV

EMO

EMO

TOTAL

TOTAL


ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

JAN

44,836

46,668

6,897

7,042

1,654

1,705

2,386

2,518

35

33

3,127

3,117

58,935

61,083

FEB

43,182

43,604

6,211

6,490

1,580

1,617

2,460

2,415

31

33

2,893

2,972

56,357

57,131

MAR

51,106

51,534

7,074

7,257

1,703

1,743

2,720

2,712

49

42

3,368

3,321

66,020

65,160

APR

49,894

50,085

6,853

6,905

1,647

1,735

2,778

2,780

20

21

3,241

3,200

64,433

66,175

MAY

54,047

52,118

7,430

7,330

1,783

1,727

3,025

2,945

23

32

3,441

3,256

69,749

67,408

JUN

45,874

46,732

7,163

7,128

1,699

1,699

2,912

2,867

28

30

3,460

3,477

61,136

61,933

JUL

41,814

43,296

7,452

7,565

1,793

1,797

2,856

2,770

24

20

3,739

3,616

57,678

59,064

AUG

40,089

41,484

7,086

6,962

1,827

1,794

2,818

2,800

38

40

3,712

3,550

55,570

56,630

SEP

43,898

44,889

7,013

7,162

1,622

1,602

2,833

2,814

33

47

3,647

3,524

59,046

60,038

OCT

46,409

46,134

6,832

6,895

1,740

1,782

2,716

2,822

35

34

3,678

3,661

61,410

61,328

NOV

43,671

44,046

6,459

6,487

1,542

1,572

2,642

2,569

32

32

3,654

3,476

58,000

58,182

DEC

37,812

38,396

6,094

6,224

1,601

1,670

2,388

2,372

17

22

3,312

3,314

51,224

51,998

COL TOT

542,632

548,986

82,564

83,447

20,191

20,443

32,534

32,384

365

386

41,272

40,484

719,558

726,130


ENTRY—Number of records entered during the month.

CANCEL—Number of records canceled/cleared during the month but entered from any time period.

EMJ—Entry of a person under the age of 21 who is missing and does not meet any of the entry criteria set forth in the other categories.

EME—Entry of a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating that his/her physical safety may be in danger.

EMI—Entry of a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating that the disappearance may not have been voluntary, i.e., abduction or kidnapping.

EMD—A person of any age who is missing and under proven physical/mental disability or is senile, thereby subjecting him/herself or others to personal and immediate danger.

EMV—A person of any age who is missing after a catastrophe.

EMO—A person over the age of 21, not meeting the criteria for entry in any other category, who is missing and for whom there is a reasonable concern for his/her safety.

Source: NCIC Active/Expired Missing Person Analysis Report

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE CATEGORY/AGE/SEX/RACE 2009


UNDER 18

18 AND OLDER

ALL AGES





TOTAL

558,493

161,065

719,558





JUVENILE

534,974

7,658

542,632

ENDANGERED

11,494

71,070

82,564

INVOLUNTARY

5,901

14,290

20,191

DISABILITY

3,710

28,824

32,534

CATASTROPHE

98

267

365

OTHER

2,316

38,956

41,272





FEMALE

309,089

67,268

376,357

MALE

249,385

93,790

343,175

UNKNOWN

19

7

26





ASIAN

11,313

4,380

15,693

BLACK

194,515

44,332

238,847

INDIAN

7,694

1,631

9,325

UNKNOWN

12,799

4,438

17,237

WHITE *

332,172

106,284

438,456

 


UNDER 21

21 AND OLDER

ALL AGES





TOTAL

591547

128,011

719,558





JUVENILE

542,078

554

542,632

ENDANGERED

22,993

59,571

82,564

INVOLUNTARY

10,055

10,136

20,191

DISABILITY

6,787

25,747

32,534

CATASTROPHE

138

227

365

OTHER

9,496

31,776

41,272





FEMALE

326,490

49,867

376,357

MALE

265,037

78,138

343,175

UNKNOWN

20

6

26





ASIAN

11,944

3,749

15,693

BLACK

207,897

30,950

238,847

INDIAN

7,978

1,347

9,325

UNKNOWN

13,752

3,485

17,237

WHITE *

349,976

88,480

438,456


* Includes Hispanic

Source: NCIC Active/Expired Missing and Unidentified Analysis Reports

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE—YEARLY TOTALS AND PERCENT CHANGE

YEAR

FILE TRANS

RECORD
ENTERED*

RECORD
REMOVED**

CLEARS

LOCATES

MODIFIED
***

1990

1,454,029

663,921

661,945

641,543

20,615

82,764

% CHG

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1991

1,552,896

705,175

701,811

680,520

24,250

92,946

% CHG

(+) 6.7

(+) 6.2

(+) 6.0

(+) 6.0

(+) 17.6

(+) 12.3

1992

1,785,653

801,358

810,483

737,876

26,970

119,424

% CHG

(+) 15.0

(+) 13.6

(+) 15.5

(+) 8.4

(+) 11.2

(+) 28.5

1993

1,951,842

868,345

858,730

824,348

31,716

169,137

% CHG

(+) 9.3

(+) 8.4

(+) 6.0

(+) 11.7

(+) 17.6

(+) 41.6

1994

2,179,932

954,896

944,685

906,662

39,985

216,080

% CHG

(+) 11.7

(+) 10.0

(+) 10.0

(+) 10.0

(+) 26.1

(+) 27.8

1995

2,238,503

969,264

964,343

922,576

42,009

237,150

% CHG

(+) 2.7

(+) 1.5

(+) 2.1

(+) 1.8

(+) 5.1

(+) 9.8

1996

1,908,696

955,252

953,444

913,940

42,733

254,533

% CHG

(-) 14.7

(-) 1.4

(-) 1.1

(-) 0.9

(+) 1.7

(+) 7.3

1997

1,965,657

980,712

984,945

933,081

45,397

281,197

% CHG

(+) 3.0

(+) 2.7

(+) 3.3

(+) 2.1

(+) 6.3

(+) 10.5

1998

1,861,335

932,190

929,145

913,416

47,313

287,792

% CHG

(-) 5.3

(-) 4.9

(-) 5.7

(-) 2.1

(+) 4.2

(+) 2.3

1999

1,733,691

867,129

866,562

816,198

38,704

272,197

% CHG

(-) 6.9

(-) 7.0

(-) 6.7

(-) 10.6

(-) 18.2

(-) 5.4


2000

1,758,376

876,213

882,163

825,969

40,714

294,707

% CHG

(+) 1.4

(+) 1.0

(+) 1.8

(+) 1.2

(+) 5.2

(+) 8.3

2001

1,702,197

840,279

861,918

803,599

40,844

313,822

% CHG

(-) 3.2

(-) 4.1

(-) 2.3

(-) 2.7

(+) 0.3

(+) 6.5

2002

1,658,591

821,975

836,616

779,721

42,033

329,741

% CHG

(-) 2.6

(-) 2.2

(-) 2.9

(-) 3.0

(+) 2.9

(+) 5.1

2003

1,661,853

824,699

837,154

777,854

44,252

353,805

% CHG

(+) 0.2

(+) 0.3

(+) 0.6

(-) 3.0

(+) 5.3

(+) 7.3

2004

1,670,848

830,325

840,523

782,283

46,665

379,952

% CHG

(+) 0.5

(+) 0.7

(+) 0.4

(+) 0.6

(+) 5.5

(+) 7.4

2005

2,167,892

834,536

844,838

781,430

48,639

397,452

% CHG

(+) 29.7

(+) 0.5

(+) 0.5

(-) 0.1

(+) 4.2

(+) 4.6

2006

2,203,363

836,131

851,940

785,412

51,518

421,478

% CHG

(+) 1.6

(+) 0.2

(+) 0.8

(+) 0.5

(+) 5.9

(+) 6.0

2007

2,296,793

814,957

820,212

770,282

51,638

549,981

% CHG

(+) 4.2

(-) 2.5

(-) 1.9

(-) 1.9

(+) 0.2

(+) 30.5

2008

2,068,262

778,161

745,088

731,727

50,559

457,451

% CHG

(-) 9.9

(-) 4.5

(-) 9.1

(-) 5.0

(-) 2.0

(-) 16.8

2009

1,759,860

719,558

726,130

637,308

32,843

358,356

% CHG

(-) 14.9

(-) 7.5

(-) 2.5

(-) 12.9

(-) 35.1

(-) 21.7


* Records entered do not include supplemental record entry messages which are used to add specific identifiers, including dental data, to a missing person record on file in NCIC.

** Records removed are a total of the cancel, clear, and locate messages received by the NCIC computer. Excluded are counts of supplemental record cancellation messages which are used to remove specific identifiers, including dental data, from a messing person record.

*** Modifies include base record modification messages, supplemental record entry messages, and supplemental record cancellation messages. Counts of supplemental dental entry messages and supplemental dental cancellation messages are not available.

Source: NCIC Active/Expired Missing Person Analysis Report

NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE

NCIC's Unidentified Person File came online in 1983. Records are retained indefinitely, unless removed by the entering agency. The Unidentified Person File contains records of:

  • unidentified deceased persons (Deceased—EUD),
  • persons of any age who are living and unable to determine their identity (Living—EUL), and
  • unidentified catastrophe victims (Catastrophe Victim—EUV).

As of December 31, 2009, there were 7,302 unidentified person records in NCIC. During 2009, 1,040 unidentified person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 8.2 percent from the 1,133 records entered in 2008.* The records entered in 2009 consisted of 790 (76 percent) deceased unidentified bodies, 27 (2.6 percent) unidentified catastrophe victims, and 223 (21.4 percent) living persons who could not ascertain their identity. In 2009, 871 records were canceled or cleared by the entering agency for reasons such as the remains being identified or the record being invalid. This was a 2.0percent decrease over the 889 records canceled in 2008.

*Use of the Unidentified Person File is not mandated by law.

Contact information:

The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division’s NCIC Operations and Policy Unit (NOPU) NCIC Group distributes monthly NCIC extracts—the Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis—to each CJIS System Officer and/or to the agency in the state that has been designated as a point of contact.

The NOPU routinely responds to requests for nationwide statistics from law enforcement agencies and the media concerning the NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Files for public release.

The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested data. Archive statistics are available upon request.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the FBI’s NOPU NCIC Group, at 304-625-3000 or ioau@leo.gov.

NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2009

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON

ACTIVE ENTRIES AS OF 1/1/2010

7302

TOTAL FILE TRANSACTIONS

1,911


RECORDS ENTERED

1,040


RECORDS CANCELLED

871


NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2009


DECEASED
ENTRY

DECEASED
CANCEL

CAT VICENTRY

CAT VICCANCEL

LIVING
ENTRY

LIVING
CANCEL

TOTAL
ENTRY

TOTAL
CANCEL

JAN

53

42

6

4

17

17

76

63

FEB

35

34

1

0

22

19

58

53

MAR

69

60

1

1

21

23

91

84

APR

105

67

0

0

12

14

117

81

MAY

66

53

0

2

17

12

83

67

JUN

61

57

8

7

38

38

107

102

JUL

77

64

3

1

21

21

101

86

AUG

67

60

2

3

14

10

83

73

SEP

48

50

2

2

18

14

68

66

OCT

65

56

1

2

11

13

77

71

NOV

65

51

1

0

17

10

83

61

DEC

79

45

2

2

15

17

96

64

COL TOT

790

639

27

24

223

208

1,040

871


ENTRY—Number of records entered during the month.

CANCEL—Number of records canceled/cleared during the month but entered from any time period.

DECEASED—Human remains for whom the identity cannot be ascertained. This category also includes body parts.

CATASTROPHE VICTIM—A person who is a victim of a catastrophe for whom the identity cannot be ascertained or body parts when a body has been dismembered as the result of a catastrophe.

LIVING—A person who is living and unable to ascertain his/her identity, e.g., amnesia victim, infant, etc. he information on unidentified living persons should only be included if the person gives his/her consent or if they are physically or mentally unable to give consent.

Source: NCIC Active/Expired Unidentified Person Analysis Report

NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE—YEARLY TOTALS AND PERCENT CHANGE

YEAR

RECORD
ENTERED

RECORD
CANCELS

DECEASED
ENTRIES

DECEASED
CANCELS

CAT VIC
ENTRIES

CAT VIC
CANCELS

LIVING
ENTRIES

LIVING
CANCELS

1990

1,567

1,394

1,226

1,054

20

19

321

321

% CHG

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1991

1,805

1,615

1,198

1,015

10

9

597

591

% CHG

(+) 15.2

(+) 15.9

(-) 2.3

(-) 3.7

(-) 50.0

(-) 52.6

(+) 86.0

(+) 84.1

1992

1,637

1,484

1,331

1,183

31

26

275

275

% CHG

(-) 9.3

(-) 8.1

(+) 11.1

(+) 16.6

(+) 210.0

(+) 188.9

(-) 53.9

(-) 53.5

1993

1,629

1,155

1,162

993

37

37

130

125

% CHG

(-) 0.5

(-) 22.2

(-) 12.7

(-) 16.1

(+) 19.4

(+) 42.3

(-) 52.7

(-) 54.5

1994

1,829

1,204

1,632

1,010

24

24

172

170

% CHG

(+) 12.3

(+) 4.2

(+) 40.4

(+) 1.7

(-) 35.1

(-) 35.1

(+) 32.3

(+) 36.0

1995

1,143

954

965

775

22

23

156

156

% CHG

(-) 37.5

(-) 20.8

(-) 40.9

(-) 23.3

(-) 8.3

(-) 4.2

(-) 9.3

(-) 8.2

1996

1,391

1,196

1,182

1,001

22

11

187

184

% CHG

(+) 21.7

(+) 25.4

(+) 22.5

(+) 29.2

0

(-) 52.2

(+) 19.9

(+) 17.9

1997

1,608

1,176

1,395

964

11

10

202

202

% CHG

(+) 15.6

(-) 1.7

(+) 18.0

(-) 3.7

(-) 50.0

(-) 9.1

(+) 8.0

(+) 9.8

1998

1,326

1,005

1,039

732

31

29

256

255

% CHG

(-) 17.5

(-) 14.5

(-) 25.5

(-) 24.1

(+) 181.8

(+) 190.0

(+) 26.7

(+) 26.2

1999

1,241

842

921

544

17

17

303

281

% CHG

(-) 6.4

(-) 16.2

(-) 11.4

(-) 25.7

(-) 45.2

(-) 41.4

(+) 18.4

(+) 10.2


2000

1,091

866

646

434

8

9

437

423

% CHG

(-) 12.1

(+) 2.9

(-) 29.9

(-) 20.2

(-) 53.0

(-) 47.1

(+) 44.2

(+) 50.5

2001

973

840

563

433

15

15

395

392

% CHG

(-) 10.8

(-) 3.0

(-) 12.8

(-) 0.2

(+) 87.5

(+) 66.7

(-) 9.6

(-) 64.1

2002

947

785

557

382

16

14

374

389

% CHG

(-) 2.7

(-) 6.5

(-) 1.1

(-) 11.8

(+) 6.7

(-) 6.7

(-) 5.3

(-) 0.8

2003

1,214

808

734

367

13

12

467

429

% CHG

(+) 28.2

(+) 2.9

(+) 31.8

(-) 3.9

(-) 18.8

(-) 14.3

(+) 24.9

(+) 10.3

2004

1,335

964

878

493

33

35

424

436

% CHG

(+) 10.0

(+) 19.3

(+) 19.6

(+) 34.3

(+) 153.8

(+) 191.7

(-) 9.2

(+) 1.6

2005

1,383

1,258

960

792

19

19

404

447

% CHG

(+) 3.6

(+) 30.5

(+) 9.3

(+) 60.6

(-) 42.4

(-) 45.7

(-) 4.7

(+) 2.5

2006

1,413

1,185

1,043

818

7

2

363

365

% CHG

(+) 2.2

(-) 5.8

(+) 8.6

(+) 3.3

(-) 63.2

(-) 89.5

(-) 10.1

(-) 18.3

2007

1,788

1,051

1,448

712

23

11

317

1,788

% CHG

(+) 26.5

(-)11.3

(+) 38.8

(-) 13.0

(+) 228.6

(+) 450.0

(-) 12.7

(-) 1.4

2008

1,133

889

918

681

16

14

199

194

% CHG

(-) 36.6

(-) 15.4

(-) 36.6

(-) 4.4

(-) 30.4

(+) 27.3

(-) 37.2

(-) 89.2

2009

1,040

871

790

639

27

24

223

208

% CHG

(-) 8.2

(-) 2.0

(-) 13,9

(-) 6.2

68.8

71.4

12.1

7.2


ENTRY—Number of records entered during the month.

CANCEL—Number of records canceled/cleared during the month but entered from any time period.

DECEASED—Human remains for whom the identity cannot be ascertained. This category also includes body parts.

CATASTROPHE VICTIM—A person who is a victim of a catastrophe for whom the identity cannot be ascertained or body parts when a body has been dismembered as the result of a catastrophe.

LIVING—A person who is living and unable to ascertain his/her identity, e.g., amnesia victim, infant, etc. The information on unidentified living persons should only be included if the person gives his/her consent or if they are physically or mentally unable to give consent.

Source: NCIC Active/Expired Unidentified Person Analysis Report

NCIC MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED ENTRY COMPARISON CHART

YEAR

MISSING PERSON ENTRIES

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON ENTRIES




1990

663,921

1,567

1991

705,175

1,805

1992

801,358

1,637

1993

868,345

1,629

1994

954,896

1,829

1995

969,264

1,143

1996

955,252

1,391

1997

980,712

1,608

1998

932,190

1,326

1999

867,129

1,241

2000

876,213

1,091

2001

840,279

973

2002

821,975

947

2003

824,699

1,214

2004

830,325

1,335

2005

834,536

1,383

2006

836,131

1,413

2007

814,967

1,788

2008

778,164

1,133

2009

719,558

1,040


Source: NCIC Active/Expired Missing and Unidentified Analysis Reports