|
Psychotic Behavioral Profile
| Previous Search & Rescue studies neglected
to describe subjects who became the target of search and rescue efforts
due to psychiatric problems. In the Virginia database this type of
search accounts for 5% of missing person searches reported. These subjects
suffer from psychotic disorders with schizophrenia the most common. Another example includes substance-induced psychotic disorders. Some
of the hallmarks of these disorders include delusions, hallucinations, and
disorganized behavior. |
|
Descriptive Statistics
| Statistic |
Psychotic |
Retarded |
Despondent |
Alzheimer's |
| n (# cases) |
25 |
29 |
65 |
87 |
| Age (SD) |
43 (16) |
30 (3) |
37 (16%) |
76 (9) |
| Males |
63% |
60% |
76% |
67% |
| Females |
37% |
40% |
24% |
33% |
| Uninjured |
72% |
85% |
34% |
51% |
| Injured |
5% |
11% |
11% |
27% |
| Deceased |
22% |
4% |
55% |
22% |
| Investigative |
5% |
11% |
10% |
8% (25% in urban |
Distance from
the PLS (Psychotic)
| Distance from the PLS |
Miles |
Kilometers |
| Mean |
1.4 |
2.2 |
| S.D. |
2.3 |
3.7 |
| Median |
0.5 |
0.8 |
| Range |
0-8.0 |
0-12.9 |
| 25% |
0.1 |
0.2 |
| 50% |
0.5 |
0.8 |
| 75% |
1.2 |
2.0 |
| Max Zone |
4.8 (92%) |
7.7 (92%) |
Find Location
| Location |
Psychotics |
Retarded |
Despondent |
Alzheimer's |
| Structure |
23% |
21% |
18% |
15% |
| Yard (field) |
- |
16% |
3% |
18% |
| Drainage |
7% |
21% |
10% |
18% |
| Woods |
30% |
16% |
21% |
7% |
| Brush/Briar |
7% |
11% |
3% |
29% |
| Road |
23% |
11% |
4% |
7% |
| Linear |
- |
5% |
13% |
- |
| Other |
- |
- |
18% water 5% cliff |
4% |
Behavioral Profile
- Shape of distance traveled curve similar to Children (6-12)
- Fatality rates similar to Alzheimer's (22%)
- Many will not respond to name (93%), but may be verbal (21%)
- Some may be evasive
- Subject did not travel to identifiable target
- Often found in open woods (30%), structures (23%), or along roads (23%).
- Tend not to penetrate into thick brush/briars
- Large number of walk-outs (21%) and found along roads (14%)
- None got "lost" in traditional sense
- Lack of medications caused several searches
- Median distance from IPP 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
- Max Zone (92%) 4.8 miles (7.5 km)
- Law enforcement evaluation for searcher safety
- Consider limited field use of minors
Reflex Tasking
- Early use of trackers at initial planning point (IPP)
- Early use of tracking/trailing dogs at IPP or clues
- Through systematic search of residence, should be repeated throughout
search
- Investigation critical
- Early deployment of air-scent dog teams into woods and drainage's, start
near IPP
- Cut for sign along roadways and trails
- Team should stop and listen before shouting name if not contraindicated
- 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
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; schizophrenia, schizophreniform,
schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared
psychotic disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, delusions,
hallucinations. Exclusion criteria: Previous mental retardation,
dementia, accidents, homicide, or abduction. | Alzheimer's
| Retardation | Psychotic
| Despondent | VASARCO
| Fatigue | Map
| Latest | |
