Media Attention and Missing Persons Recovery: A National Analysis of Media Attention, Bias, and Victim Recovery

The media is said to be a vital tool in the efforts to solve active missing person cases. Previous research indicates that not all cases receive equal amounts of attention in both the traditional and social media realms. This study is the first of its kind to empirically test the role of news media in the recovery of missing persons. Results suggest that traditional media attention significantly impacts the likelihood of victim recovery. Disparity and symmetry in media attention of missing persons cases were also found, for both traditional and social media. The circumstances of missingness appear to play a vital role in media attention and victim recovery. Policy implications related to missing persons case handling are discussed.