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NCJ Number: NCJ 218936     Find in a Library
Title: Investigative Case Management for Missing Children Homicides: Report II
  Document URL: PDF 
Author(s): Katherine M. Brown ; Robert D. Keppel ; Joseph G. Weis ; Marvin E. Skeen
Corporate Author: Washington Office of the Attorney General
United States of America

Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS)
United States of America
Date Published: 2006
Page Count: 103
  Annotation: This study is a followup to a research study to better understand cases of abducted and missing children found murdered and identify investigative techniques and strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal investigations and the apprehension rate of murderers who abduct children.
Abstract: The additional 175 solved cases added to the original dataset (N = 800) are reflective and supportive of the original report with several significant and definite differences between the first study and this one. With more killers identified, it is found that the relationships between them and their victims change from strangers to an almost equal likelihood of being friends/acquaintances. Another significant change is the increase of the use of pornography by killers as a trigger. Given the overwhelming sexual motivation of killers in these cases, this should not be surprising. Victims continue to be females and slightly over 11 years of age, leading “normal” lives, typical low-risk victims. The killers remain around 27 years of age and are predominantly unmarried. Half of them are unemployed, and those who are employed work in unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. More than half of the cases are initially reported to a law enforcement agency as a “missing child.” Fast action by law enforcement is an absolute since the vast majority of abducted children who are murdered are dead within 3 hours of the abduction. Importantly, even though child abductions are rare, parents must eliminate, or minimize, the opportunity for their children to become victims. Child abduction murders are very difficult to solve. This research study examined the investigations of more than 800 child abduction murders. This report is most important to homicide detectives who are confronted with an unsolved murder case involving child abduction. The results help police investigators identify strategies and implement tactics to focus investigations that will improve their ability to solve child abduction murder cases. Tables and references
Main Term(s): Missing children
Index Term(s): Homicide ; Missing person investigation ; Child Abduction ; Investigations ; Investigative techniques ; Homicide investigations ; Death investigations ; Homicide victims ; Child victims ; Child fatalities ; OJJDP grant-related documents
Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
US Dept of Justice
United States of America
Grant Number: 98-MC-CX-0001
Sale Source: Washington Office of the Attorney General
800 Fifth Ave., Suite 2000
Seattle, WA 98104
United States of America
Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Note: Downloaded on June 20, 2007.
   
  To cite this abstract, use the following link:
https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=240688

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