Reported cases of missing Indigenous people in Nebraska have nearly doubled—from 23 in 2020 to 43 in 2024. Those figures come roughly five years after the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) was tasked with studying and producing recommendations to curb the disproportionate rate at which Indigenous children and women go missing. Officials believe the increased number […]
More than two years ago, Washington became the first state to implement alerts for missing Indigenous people. Today, law enforcement officials say the alerts—enacted in response to statistics showing that Indigenous persons go missing at a higher rate than other groups—have proved crucial in locating missing teens, many of whom can become victims of trafficking. […]
Alaska is ushering in the new year with an increased focus on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis. New legislation signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy requires Indigenous cultural training for new police officers, an assessment of the Department of Public Safety’s investigative resources for reporting MMIP cases, and the establishment of a commission […]
By Rebecca Sherman Jolene Hardesty has faced challenges in her 20 years of public service—from her early days as a 911 sheriff’s office dispatcher to her current role as Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Analyst and Missing Persons Coordinator for the Michigan State Police. And while she has helped rescue an estimated 600 children by providing analytical, […]