|
Despondent Behavioral Profile
| Previous Search & Rescue studies neglected
to describe subjects who became the target of search and rescue efforts
due being despondent. Syrotuck only had five cases in his original
database. In the Virginia database this type of
search accounts for 14% of missing person searches reported. These subjects
often have set out into the woods in order to commit suicide. Few
are truly lost. However, many are in critical condition and require
a prompt aggressive search. |
|
Descriptive Statistics
| Statistic |
Despondent |
Psychotic |
Retarded |
Alzheimer's |
| n (# cases) |
65 |
25 |
29 |
87 |
| Age (SD) |
37 (16) |
43 (16) |
30 (3) |
76 (9) |
| Males |
76% |
63% |
60% |
67% |
| Females |
24% |
37% |
40% |
33% |
| Uninjured |
34% |
72% |
85% |
51% |
| Injured |
11% |
5% |
11% |
27% |
| Deceased |
55% |
22% |
4% |
22% |
| Investigative |
10% |
5% |
11% |
8% (25% in urban |
Distance from
the PLS (Despondent)
| Distance from the PLS |
Miles |
Kilometers |
| Mean |
1.4 |
2.2 |
| S.D. |
3.3 |
5.3 |
| Median |
0.2 |
0.3 |
| Range |
0-20 |
0-32.2 |
| 25% |
0.1 |
0.2 |
| 50% |
0.2 |
0.3 |
| 75% |
1.6 |
2.6 |
| Max Zone |
5.0 (96%) |
8.0 (96%) |
Find Location
| Location |
Despondent |
Psychotics |
Retarded |
Alzheimer's |
| Structure |
18% |
23% |
21% |
15% |
| Yard (field) |
3% |
- |
16% |
18% |
| Drainage |
10% |
7% |
21% |
18% |
| Woods |
21% |
30% |
16% |
7% |
| Brush/Briar |
3% |
7% |
11% |
29% |
| Road |
10% |
23% |
11% |
7% |
| Linear |
13% |
- |
5% |
- |
| Other |
18% (water)5% Cliff |
- |
- |
4% |
Behavioral Profile
- Two distinctive patterns emerge for distance from the Initial Planning
Point (bimodal distribution)
- Most subject simply seeking to get "just out of sight" (50%
found within 0.2 miles of IPP)
- Second group of subjects seek a "specific location", often
scenic or significant in their life history
- Location may be the method of suicide (cliffs, water)
- Those seeking scenic or significant location are willing to travel (Max
zone 96%=5.0 miles)
- No subjects really "lost"
- Many survivors walked out of the woods on their own.
- Subjects typically (21%) located in open woods (remind teams to look up)
- Subjects avoid brush/briars
- Age or sex does not predict "just out of sight" or
"specific location" behavior
- Older males had highest mortality rate (>75%)
- Despondent profile has high mortality rate (55%)
Reflex Tasking
- Early use of trackers at initial planning point (IPP)
- Early use of tracking/trailing dogs at IPP or clues
- Investigation (methods, buildings, danger to rescuers, significant
locations, etc)
- Check segments within 0.25 miles with air-scent dogs, sweeps, and grids.
- This profile may represent an exception to grid search as a last resort
- Through systematic search of residence, should be repeated throughout
search
- Early deployment of air-scent dog teams into woods and drainage's, start
near IPP
- Modified trail/sector along roads and trails
- Hasty to all scenic/significant locations
- Cut for sign along roadways and trails
- Subjects may flee, hide or move. Areas will need to be researched with
continual importance of looking for sign
- Subject may have a fear of authority, consider not wearing field uniforms
- Develop contingency plan if actively evasive (may require obtaining
emergency care order)
- Containment important along with road patrols
- Search urgency high
- After initial tasks, search should continue to concentrate around IPP and
then expand to all possible significant locations
Study Methods
The database used to collect this data has been described in a previous paper
on Alzheimer's. The following
modifications were made. Inclusion criteria: Following terms
appeared on missing person record; suicidal, depressed, despondent. Exclusion criteria: Previous mental retardation,
dementia, current psychosis, accidents, homicide, or abduction.
| Alzheimer's
| Retardation | Psychotic
| Despondent | VASARCO
| Fatigue | Map
| Latest | |
