NCJ Number
167969
Date Published
Unknown
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This report describes the problems of child abduction and serial homicide, the specialized unit created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to focus on investigations of these crimes, and the role of the Morgan P. Hardiman Task Force on Missing and Exploited Children.
Abstract
The 1984 Missing Children's Act mandated the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART). NISMART estimates that in 1988 the country experienced 3,200 to 4,600 nonfamily child abductions that fit the legal definition of a brief or geographically limited incident and 200-300 stereotypical child abductions involving an overnight abduction, ransom, murder, or transport 50 miles or more. Data on homicides indicate that the number of mass murderers and serial murderers operating each year increased from 51 to 101 during 1970-84. The Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit and other components of the FBI seek to provide essential resources to assist the law enforcement community in recovering victims and fully resolve the crimes. The Task Force on Missing and Exploited Children was created by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to coordinate Federal law enforcement resources to assist State and local authorities in investigating the most difficult cases of missing and exploited children. Table