Five missing persons cases highlight common reactions by parents and families, police, the media, and the public. Chapters pertaining to the means for measuring and addressing the problem focus on the concept of missing persons, the police administration of missing person reports, characteristics of the missing person population, the investigation of missing person reports, and the consequences of juvenile runaways. Three chapters 'for parents and others' discuss assistance through volunteer, private, and support agencies as well as other helping means; how to reduce the number of juvenile runaways; and what to do if a child is apparently missing. The concluding chapter reviews public policy considerations. Reference materials include an Australian resource directory for missing persons, their families, and friends and a 290-item bibliography on missing persons. Appendixes contain a data set for missing adults, juveniles, nonabsconders, and absconders for all Australian States for 1985 as well as a list of publications of the Australian National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 17 tables and 4 figures.