Research
See the latest research for missing persons in Australia.
The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) is committed to driving and coordinating national research in relation to missing persons. Understanding why people go missing is essential for identifying preventative strategies and establishing a coordinated approach across the sector to reduce the incidence and impact of missing persons.
The most recent Australian research, Children and Youth Reported Missing from Out of Home Care in Australia, commissioned and funded by the NMPCC focused on the vulnerable group of youth who go missing, predominately from out of home care and was undertaken by Dr Kath McFarlane and The Community Restorative Centre Limited. The report was released by the AFP in March 2021 and demonstrates that young people living in out-of-home care are at the highest risk of going missing and being exposed to harm, exploitation and crime.
The Australian research Missing Persons: Who's at risk? (PDF 860 KB) commissioned and funded by the NMPCC, was undertaken by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC). The report was released by the Honourable Michael Keenan MP, Minister for Justice in November 2017; an interim report Missing Persons in Australia 2008 - 2015 (PDF 370 KB) released in 2016, goes into further details around the statistics relating to missing persons in Australia.
Australian Research
The need for research in the missing persons sector is huge, with only a handful of research reports dedicated to the issue in Australia. Dedicated research projects are able to delve deeper into the missing persons experience and can provide insights into questions such as why people went missing, what happened to them while they were missing, and what support is required when someone is missing.
Prior to the 2016 release of the Missing Persons in Australia 2008 - 2015 (PDF 370 KB) statistical bulletin, the last national research, Missing Persons in Australia (PDF 1.0 MB), was released in 2008. This report was completed by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), was co-funded by the Australian Federal Police and Attorney-General's Department of NSW.
Other research reports:
- Trends and Issues Paper: Missing Persons in Australia (AIC, 2008) (PDF 145 KB)
- Churchill report: Jodie Ward, DNA techniques for the identification of compromised human remains (2015) (500 KB)
- Profiling Missing Persons within NSW, Dr Shaunagh Foy (2006) (PDF 100 KB)
- Living in Limbo - The experience of International Parental Child Abduction ISS (2005) (PDF 200 KB)
- Churchill report: Mark Samways (2006) (PDF 124 KB)
- Churchill report: Sarah Wayland (2005) (PDF 113 KB)
- Churchill report: Leonie Jacques, BSW (Hons), DipHE (2002) (PDF 171 KB)
- Missing Persons: Incidence, Issues and Impacts, AIC (2000) (PDF 50 KB)
- The Missing Person Dimension, AIC (1999) (PDF 50 KB)
- Missing People - Issues for the Australian Community, Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (1998) (PDF 450 KB)
If you have a research report to add to this list please contact the NMPCC team.
International Research
International research provides insights into other trends and issues across international borders and jurisdictions. By reviewing and learning from other research and trends, we can evaluate the best practice techniques in order to reduce the incidence of missing persons in Australia.
Reports of interest:
- Missing People (UK) conducts a range of research projects into missing persons and related issues. You can find a range of their published research in the Research publications section of their website.
- The Geographies of Missing People research project, conducted in the United Kingdom, studied why adults go missing and explored their experiences.
- Missing Persons: Understanding, Planning, Reporting, Grampian Police (2007) (PDF 5.2 MB)
If you have a research report to add to this list please contact the NMPCC team.
