Heroine Emily Stone from my two novels Compulsion and Dead Game has dedicated her life to finding and protecting children. It’s not always a happy ending, but she won’t give up the search when a child is reporting missing or abducted. She uses her innate profiling abilities and every piece of technology available to anonymously search out children and their perpetrators.
In real life, it has been estimated through surveys of households, juvenile residential facilities, and law enforcement agencies that there are approximately 58,200 non-family abductions every year. This high number is shocking to say the least. We need to be vigilant to keep our children safe.
The National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART) has conducted two studies during the years 1997- 1999. It is difficult to get the exact number due to many variables to missing children cases and reporting status.
Here are some highlights in NISMART’s report:
Characteristic of Child Abducted
0-5 years old 7% (4,300)
6-11 years old 12% (6,800)
12-14 years old 22% (13,000)
15-17 years old 59% (34,100)
Gender of Child Abducted
Male 35%
Female 65%
Region of Child Abducted
Northwest 1% (100)
Midwest 33% (19,300)
South 38% (21,900)
West 29% (16,900)
Characteristic of Perpetrator
Friend 17%
Long-Term Acquaintance 21%
Neighbor 5%
Authority Person 6%
Caretaker or Babysitter 4%
Stranger 37%
Slight Acquaintance 8%
Someone Else 3%
Age of Main Perpetrator’s Age
13-19 years 25%
20-29 years 42%
30-39 years 12%
40-49 years 16%
50-59 years 5%
No information 1%
Blog: www.authorjenniferchase.com/
Website: www.jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch Blog: www.emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk: www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase/
Books: Compulsion = Dead Game = Silent Partner = Screenwriting
