1. Police Use of Social Media in Missing Persons Investigations
Abertay University
Police Use of Social Media in Missing Persons Investigations
Joseph Hamilton
Supervisor: Dr Penny Woolnough

2. Missing Persons Crime Prevention Public Protection
Background
Missing Persons
Crime Prevention
Public Protection
300,000 incidents per year (NPIA, 2011; NCA, 2016)
£1,325 - £2,416 per medium- risk case (Greene & Pakes, 2013)

3. Social Media Evolution of technology in policing Advantages:
Background
Social Media
Evolution of technology in policing
Advantages:
Economic & Efficient
Demographic Access
(Pew Research Centre, 2017)
Interactive Nature

4. Social Media Online Risks: Wildfire effect Privacy & protection
Background
Social Media
Online Risks:
Wildfire effect
Privacy & protection
Tone & rapport

5. Method
Current Study
Aim: Optimising police practice using internal experiences and opinions
Stage 1
14 Police Scotland Facebook accounts (Jun-Aug, 2016)
Division ‘X’ MP archives
Publishing behaviour & general demographic detail

6. Method
Current Study
Aim: Optimising police practice using internal experiences and opinions
Stage 2
Semi-structured interviews with staff (n=8)
Police Scotland & NMPU
Current Use, Challenges and Improvements
Intelligence Monitoring
The ‘Digital Footprint’
Social Media Procedure
Public Engagement

7. # Followers** (% of Population)
Results & Discussion
Results
Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Police Scotland Divisions
Division
Population*
# Posts
# Followers** (% of Population)
# Shares***
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire
182,000 20
10,543 (5.8)
134
Ayrshire
368,290 11
35,753 (9.7)
180.6
Dumfries & Galloway - 37
38,970
137.88
Edinburgh
495,000 49
29,073 (5.9)
58.60
Fife
402,600 23
31,691 (7.9)
184.53
Forth Valley
294,430 38
42,154 (14.3)
214
Greater Glasgow
770,000 45
40,296 (5.2)
332.19
Highlands & Islands 40
54,888
146.94
Lanarkshire
634,500 25
29,910 (4.7)
314.58
Lothians & Scottish Borders
462,080 24
21,419 (4.6)
143.09
North East
333,040 32
68,133 (20.5)
81.45
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
264,500 15
14,285 (5.4)
133
Tayside 36
60,833
102.90
Police Scotland 5
237,582
45.5

8. # Followers** (% of Population)
Results & Discussion
Results
Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Police Scotland Divisions
Division
Population*
# Posts
# Followers** (% of Population)
# Shares***
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire
182,000 20
10,543 (5.8)
134
Ayrshire
368,290 11
35,753 (9.7)
180.6
Dumfries & Galloway - 37
38,970
137.88
Edinburgh
495,000 49
29,073 (5.9)
58.60
Fife
402,600 23
31,691 (7.9)
184.53
Forth Valley
294,430 38
42,154 (14.3)
214
Greater Glasgow
770,000 45
40,296 (5.2)
332.19
Highlands & Islands 40
54,888
146.94
Lanarkshire
634,500 25
29,910 (4.7)
314.58
Lothians & Scottish Borders
462,080 24
21,419 (4.6)
143.09
North East
333,040 32
68,133 (20.5)
81.45
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
264,500 15
14,285 (5.4)
133
Tayside 36
60,833
102.90
Police Scotland 5
237,582
45.5

9. Results Results & Discussion
Graph 1. Age distribution of missing persons according to online publishing and reporting

10. Theme 1. Public Engagement
Results & Discussion
Themes
Theme 1. Public Engagement
Online communities & Misinformation
‘There were rumours abound through social media…that could potentially have taken attention away from the investigative officers…’
Monitoring comments
Twitter as a secondary mechanism

11. Themes Theme 2. Runaway Teens Apathy towards teenage MP’s
Results & Discussion
Themes
Theme 2. Runaway Teens
Apathy towards teenage MP’s
‘People have more preconceptions around that age group, of to why they’ve gone missing, their life circumstances…I think their empathy is decreased because…they can give a narrative…based on stereotypes.’
Impact of negative comments
Importance of cancellation interviews

12. Theme 3. The ‘Digital Footprint’
Results & Discussion
Themes
Theme 3. The ‘Digital Footprint’
General advocacy for removal
67.1% of appeals were resolved online
Life consequences
“This person is unstable, they’ve run away…”
“Somebody might be going through some kind of mental breakdown and they’re on Facebook 3 months later and they still see their image there…”

13. Limitations & Future Research
Results & Discussion
Limitations & Future Research
Deletion of social media posts
Small interview sample (n=8)
One source of divisional records
Police Scotland
Missing Persons
Public

14. Conclusions Online protection of young missing people
System for monitoring feedback
Target ‘runaway teens’ stigma
Consistency in minimising the ‘Digital Footprint’

15. Police Use of Social Media in Missing Person Investigations
Abertay University
Police Use of Social Media in Missing Person Investigations
Thank you!
Questions?
Joseph Hamilton
Supervisor: Dr Penny Woolnough
In association with: Police Scotland, Carnegie Trust for Universities of Scotland, National Missing Person Unit