NCJ Number
125587
Date Published
1990
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The Youth Aid Unit was established in 1983 by the Lincoln, Nebraska, Police Department to deal with juvenile diversion, school liaison, and incest cases and to coordinate juvenile missing person and runaway cases.
Abstract
Accurate data for the years preceding 1985 on the number of youth reported missing or runaway to the Lincoln Police Department are not available. From 1985 through 1988, however, there has been a significant increase in the number of youth reported missing or runaway; the number of runaways increased from 1,245 to 1,956 and the number of missing children rose from 555 to 868. Policies and procedures have been written by the Lincoln Police Department so that uniformed street officers take all missing person and runaway reports in person. The original investigating officer is also responsible for immediate followup, such as checking on names of cohorts, associates, and addresses provided by the person making the report. After the initial report is made and the investigation is conducted, a followup is issued immediately to the Youth Aid Unit. A strong relationship has been established between the Youth Aid Unit and different service providers, shelters, and community centers which serve much of the runaway population. In addition, the Lincoln Police Department has established a program to improve communication between parents and children and teach participants coping skills to reduce the risk of future runaway incidents. Even though this program's effectiveness has not been evaluated, plans are to continue the program because of the perception that some families are being helped. 6 endnotes and 4 figures.