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NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2008

NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2008

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 2008
NCIC MISSING PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2008
NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE CATEGORY/ AGE/SEX/RACE 2008
NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE—YEARLY TOTALS AND PERCENT CHANGE
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2008
NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2008
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’s) 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 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, 2008, there were 102,764 active missing person records in NCIC. Juveniles under the age of 18 account for 51,054 (49.7 percent) of the records and 12,648 (12.3 percent) were for juveniles between the ages of 18 and 20.*

During 2008, 778,161 missing person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 4.5 percent from the 814,967 entered in 2007. Missing Person records cleared or canceled during the same period totaled 745,088. 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 778,161 records entered in 2008, the MPC field was utilized in 306,657 (39.4 percent). When the MPC field was utilized in 2008 entries, 303,798 (99.07 percent) were coded as Runaway, 2,659 (0.87 percent) as Abducted by Non-Custodial Parent, and 200 (0.07 percent) as Abducted by Stranger. For entry year 2007, the MPC field was utilized in 303,224 (37.2 percent) of the 814,957 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) Investigative and Operational Assistance Unit ( IOAU) NCIC Group receives monthly NCIC extracts concerning the Missing and Unidentified Person files. The Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis are distributed by the IOAU to each CJIS System Officer and/or to the agency in the state that has been designated as a point of contact.

The IOAU routinely responds to requests for nation-wide 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 IOAU NCIC Group at 304-625-3000 or ioau@leo.gov.

NCIC MISSING PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2008

MISSING PERSON
ACTIVE ENTRIES AS OF 1/1/2009
102,764
TOTAL FILE TRANSACTIONS
2,068,262

ENTRIES

778,161

REMOVED

745,088

LOCATES

50,599

MODIFIED

295,874

MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL

158,771

QUERIED MISSING PERSON FILE ONL

36,963

QUERIED NCIC SYSTEM-WIDE BY NAME

1,536,809,265

CANCELED SUPPLEMENTAL

2,806


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) 2008

 

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

47,950

50,260

7,169

7,363

1,582

1,700

2,460

2,710

51

156

3,061

3,180

62,273

65,369

FEB

47,477

47,650

6,856

6,979

1,511

1,529

2,435

2,485

42

38

2,983

2,910

61,304

61,591

MAR

53,112

52,099

7,603

7,559

1,758

1,775

2,754

2,663

22

18

3,299

3,149

68,548

67,263

APR

54,960

54,559

7,323

7,476

1,693

1,718

2,803

2,756

32

22

3,281

3,114

70,092

69,645

MAY

57,684

56,028

7,735

7,697

1,806

1,763

2,914

2,875

36

37

3,429

3,309

73,604

71,709

JUN

50,131

49,508

7,580

7,524

1,881

1,883

2,977

2,878

37

41

3,285

3,206

65,891

65,040

JUL

46,873

47,896

7,798

7,885

1,841

1,755

2,963

2,950

31

34

3,370

3,308

62,876

63,828

AUG

44,298

45,659

7,770

7,638

1,849

1,812

2,934

2,832

32

36

3,224

3,098

60,107

61,075

SEP

51,138

37,763

7,203

5,498

1,720

1,187

2,825

2,133

48

32

3,255

2,403

66,189

49,016

OCT

53,811

40,389

7,073

5,466

1,839

1,299

2,751

2,088

29

22

3,098

2,294

68,601

51,558

NOV

49,304

49,002

6,792

6,722

1,554

1,582

2,436

2,452

36

27

3,000

2,922

63,122

62,707

DEC

42,055

42,788

6,600

6,584

1,515

1,525

2,381

2,368

35

30

2,968

2,992

55,554

56,287

COL TOT

598,793

573,601

87,502

84,391

20,549

19,528

32,633

31,190

431

493

38,253

35,885

778,161

745,088


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 2008

 

UNDER 18

18 AND OLDER

ALL AGES

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

614,925

163,239

778,164

 

 

 

 

JUVENILE

589,761

9,032

598,793

ENDANGERED

13,046

74,451

87,497

INVOLUNTARY

6,094

14,468

20,562

DISABILITY

3,682

28,950

32,632

CATASTROPHE

136

295

431

OTHER

2,206

36,043

38,249

 

 

 

 

FEMALE

334,737

69,063

413,800

MALE

270,168

94,174

364,342

UNKNOWN

20

2

22

 

 

 

 

ASIAN

10,700

4,518

15,218

BLACK

211,921

43,354

255,275

INDIAN

7,980

1,578

9,558

UNKNOWN

13,788

4,628

18,416

WHITE *

370,536

109,161

479,697


 

UNDER 21

21 AND OLDER

ALL AGES

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

646,865

131,299

778,164

 

 

 

 

JUVENILE

598,485

208

598,693

ENDANGERED

24,158

63,339

87,497

INVOLUNTARY

9,962

10,600

20,562

DISABILITY

6,381

26,251

32,632

CATASTROPHE

172

259

431

OTHER

7,607

30,642

38,249

 

 

 

 

FEMALE

362,365

51,435

413,800

MALE

284,479

79,863

364,342

UNKNOWN

19

1

20

 

 

 

 

ASIAN

11,352

3,866

15,218

BLACK

223,594

31,681

255,275

INDIAN

8,274

1,284

9,558

UNKNOWN

14,682

3,734

18,416

WHITE *

388,963

90,734

479,697

* 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


* 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, 2008, there were 7,134 unidentified person records in NCIC. Of the 7,134 active entries, 1,133 (15.9 percent) were entered in 2008. This is down 36.6 percent from the 1,788 entries made into the file in 2007.* The records entered in 2008 consisted of 918 (81.0 percent) deceased unidentified bodies, 16 (1.4 percent) unidentified catastrophe victims, and 199 (17.6 percent) living persons who could not ascertain their identity. There were 889 records canceled or cleared by the entering agency for reasons such as the remains being identified or the record being invalid. This was a 15.4 percent decrease over the 1,051 records canceled in 2007.

*While use of the Unidentified Person File is increasing, it is not yet mandated by law to make entries into this file.

Contact information:

The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division’s Investigative and Operational Assistance Unit ( IOAU) NCIC Group receives monthly NCIC extracts concerning the Missing and Unidentified Person files. The Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis are distributed by the IOAU to each CJIS System Officer and/or to the agency in the state that has been designated as a point of contact.

The IOAU routinely responds to requests for nation-wide 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 IOAU NCIC Group, at 304-625-3000 or ioau@leo.gov.

NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSON FILE REPORT FOR 2008

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON
ACTIVE ENTRIES AS OF 1/1/2009
7,134
TOTAL FILE TRANSACTIONS
2,022

RECORDS ENTERED

1,133

RECORDS CANCELLED

889

 

NCIC UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS (MONTHLY TOTALS) 2008

 

DECEASED

DECEASED

CAT VIC

CAT VIC

LIVING

LIVING

TOTAL

TOTAL

 

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

ENTRY

CANCEL

JAN

119

53

0

0

15

15

134

68

FEB

91

82

2

1

24

24

117

107

MAR

80

73

0

1

19

20

99

94

APR

95

87

2

2

8

13

105

102

MAY

82

65

2

2

9

12

93

79

JUN

69

68

1

0

19

18

89

86

JUL

55

55

1

0

10

12

66

67

AUG

62

43

1

1

15

13

78

57

SEP

68

32

2

2

23

19

93

53

OCT

94

31

1

1

13

8

108

40

NOV

41

56

3

3

19

15

63

74

DEC

62

36

1

1

25

25

88

62

COL TOT

918

681

16

14

199

194

1,133

889


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 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


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


Source: NCIC Active/Expired Missing and Unidentified Analysis Reports