America's Silent Epidemic

In 2006, 173,903 missing adults were entered into the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, but many adults who go missing are never reported.

Every year, the media covers a few high-profile stories of adults who suddenly go missing, people like Chandra Levy or Laci Peterson. For each of these women's anguished families, there are untold numbers of other families who are coping with the agony and chaos that comes when a loved one is missing. Most of those families will never gain the closure that Chandra's and Laci's families found. Instead, they may spend years wondering about the fate of their loved one.

Resources

The Nation's Missing Children Organization & National Center for Missing Adults
The Nation's Missing Children Organization expanded to accept adult cases in 1995, and The National Center for Missing Adults was created with the passage of Kristen’s Law in October 2000. The first national clearinghouse for missing adults, the Center serves as a central repository of information available to the general public, advocacy groups, law enforcement officials and medical examiners. The Center also provides support, technical assistance and advocacy services to families dealing with the loss of a missing adult. For more help, contact: NCMA
4641 North 12th Street
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85014
Hotline: (800) 690-FIND
Fax: (602) 279-5690

To Submit a Case to AMW.com

AMW can only accept missing person cases that have been reported to police. If you have not yet reported your case to local authorities, you should do so immediately. To have your case considered for America's Most Wanted and AMW.com, send a letter with the following elements to: America's Most Wanted
Missing Persons Unit
P.O. Box Crime TV
Washington, DC 20016

• Your full name and contact information. Be sure to include phone numbers and e-mail addresses where we can reach you during the day.
• Name and contact information of law enforcement personnel assigned to the case
• Your written description of circumstances surrounding the disappearance

Good quality photos, either originals or digital copies on a CD.* * NOTE: photos can not be returned. If you don't have photos handy, don't worry -- you can get them to us later.