Did you know that 88% of all missing persons cases are runaways?

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Today marks the first day of Runaway Prevention Month. As such, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)'s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains (NCMPUR) is shining a light on the issue of runaways in Canada with the release of its comprehensive report entitled Exploring the Phenomenon of Reported Runaways in Canada 2015-2021. 

A runaway is defined as any missing person identified as such in the Canadian Police Information Centre system and anyone having gone missing more than once during the timeframe of the report.

Between 2015 and 2021, 88% of all missing persons reported to police in Canada were runaways. There are approximately 60,000 missing persons reported to police every year in Canada. That amounts to 52,000 runaway incidents annually but since not all cases are reported to police, that number could be many times higher.

The NCMPUR's report can be used to inform prevention and investigative strategies, develop evidence-informed police practices and policies, and identify future areas of study.

If someone appears to have run away, report them to your local police.

Quote

"The number of runaways in Canada is staggering, and the number is likely much higher given not every runaway is reported to the police. The NCMPUR report highlights the prevalence and nature of this issue in our country, and the need for all community partners to be engaged to deal with it in a holistic way.  The study and its statistics bring attention to this important issue at the start of Runaway Prevention Month."

Lana Prosper, RCMP Sergeant, Acting Officer in Charge of the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains in Canada.

Quick facts

• More teen runaways are female while more adult runaways are male.
• Teens make up 69% of habitual/chronic missing individuals even though teens account for only 32% of the overall sample. Females have an overall higher representation in the habitual/chronic category than males.
• Most runaway cases are resolved quickly. 70% of all resolved runaway occurrences were resolved within three days of the person being reported missing. 95% of all resolved runaway occurrences were resolved within 30 days. Resolve rates are slightly faster for occurrences involving children, habitual/chronic runaways, or Indigenous persons. Resolve rates are not significantly different between the sexes.
• The RCMP's NCMPUR assists law enforcement, medical examiners and chief coroners with missing persons and unidentified remains investigations across the country. To learn more, visit Canada's Missing.

Associated links

• Kids Help Phone, the country's only 24/7, free, confidential e-mental health service offering youth across Canada a non-judgemental space to feel out loud in English and French.
• Missing Children's Network, keeping hope alive.
• Canada's Missing
• Did you know that 88% of all missing persons cases are runaways?

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Management

RCMP Media Relations, [email protected]