Risk-based Managment of Missing Persons Cases
The Missing Person Risk Assessment Tool (MPRAT) is a structured interview and scoring instrument designed to assist investigators in rapidly evaluating the likelihood of harm in missing person cases. Grounded in empirical research, the tool captures key risk indicators—including age, mental and physical health status, time elapsed, environmental exposure, behavioral history, and circumstances of disappearance—and assigns weighted point values based on their predictive severity.
The resulting score categorizes each case as Low, Moderate, or High Risk, supporting time-critical decisions about resource allocation, search urgency, and interagency escalation. MPRAT is optimized for field use by private investigators, law enforcement, and search and rescue teams, and can be implemented in both digital and paper-based formats.
