Facts on Missing Children
Non-Family Abductions
2002 Statistics
Unreported to police: 114,600
Reported to police: 3200 to 4600
Abductions are defined as:
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The coerced and unauthorized taking of a child into a building, a vehicle, or a distance of more than 20 feet.
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The detention of a child for a period of more than 1 hour.
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The luring of a child for the purpose of committing another crime.
Findings Based on the Above Statistics
Unreported to police:
Children aged 4-11 experienced most of the attempts.
Reported to the police:
Almost half of the
victims were 12 and over;
74% were girls;
62% of the perpetrators
were strangers;
19% were acquaintances;
52% were removed from the
street;
46% were taken to a
vehicle;
87% were taken by force;
75% taken by force had
a gun involvement;
8% of all cases had a request for ransom.
100 Children are Abducted and Murdered Each Year.
75% are Dead Within the First 3 Hours
Rockland County Sheriff's Child C.A.R.E. Missing Children Program