The 1,060 questionnaires, mailed to a nationally representative sample of State and local law enforcement agencies, focused on the number and types of missing children/youth; cases reported during 1986; department investigative procedures; rate of closure for cases; experiences with homeless youth, department size, organization and recordkeeping practices. The study used categories of missing children based on the manual of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Runaways, parental abductions, stranger abductions and unknown are specific categories used. Surveys were returned by 75 percent of the sample, or 791 police departments. Findings indicate that in 1986 police departments received more reports of missing runaways than any other type of missing case. Half of the departments surveyed has 1-10 runaways reports; and one-third had 11-100. Although parental abductions represented the second largest category, 58 percent of the survey sample had no reports in this category. Results indicate that 85 percent of the police departments made a written report on first receiving calls about a missing child or youth, with most classifying 90 percent of their missing child/youth cases within 24 hours. Results indicate that in dealing with homeless youth cases, nearly two-thirds of the departments agreed that three major obstacles were 'age/independence/mobility,' lack of cooperation from the youth's family, and the fact that running away is not a criminal offense. Phase 2 of the study will provide a more detailed understanding of police actions in missing cases, and Phase 3 will examine the issue from the parents' and children's points of view. Notes.