PACT wants to establish why police-recorded child abduction offences are increasing
Last week – on our Child Abduction Hub site – we reported that, according to the latest crime statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, Police in England and Wales recorded 822 child abduction offences in 2014/15; a 257 (45%) on the previous year, and the highest increase for 12 years.
Levels of police recorded child abduction offences are now showing a worrying upward trend (see chart).
The key question is ‘why?’ Today PACT is starting a new round of data collection. Just as we did for the 2013/14 figures, we will be asking police to tell us:
• How many child abductions were perpetrated by a parent
• How many were perpetrated by someone other than a parent, and
• How many kidnappings involved a child victim
In addition, we will be asking police forces recording large increases why this has happened. Is it more reporting of offences, more police recording, or is it a real increase in the number of abductions taking place? Watch this space….