Notes from the Field: Solving Missing Persons Cases in Indian Country

• NCJ Number: 254381
• Date Published: November 2019
• Author(s): Cornelia Perry, Criminal Investigator, Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Article

Annotation

This NIJ "Notes from the Field" article discusses how missing persons cases can impact entire communities.

Abstract

In this article from NIJ's "Notes from the Field" series, which allows leading voices in the field to share their strategies for responding to the most pressing issues on America's streets today, Cornelia Perry, a Criminal Investigator with the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations, discusses a protocol that has enabled them to clear missing persons cases at her agency. Missing persons cases are overwhelming — not just for families, but for communities as a whole. When someone goes missing and is never found, families lack closure and the impact of the loss can spread through the whole community.