Where are they? A review of statistical techniques and data analysis to support the search for missing persons and the new field of data-based disappearance analysis

IF 2.5 3区医学 Q1 MEDICINE, LEGAL

Forensic science international Pub Date : 2025-07-23 DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112582

Jorge Ruiz Reyes , Derek Congram , Renée A. Sirbu , Luciano Floridi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The disappearances of individuals are complex phenomena, spanning different regions and temporal periods. Evolving from different legal, social, and forensic disciplines, existing research has signaled the reasons for and contexts in which people disappear or go missing, as well as the development of investigative tools that assist, in fatal cases, in their identification. However, a different type of applied research, which we have labeled as data-based disappearance analysis (DDA), can offer statistical techniques to support the search for missing persons. In this paper, we review the literature on DDA, paying close attention to the evolution of this methodology and its contextual relevance. We highlight three applications by which DDA may support the search for missing persons: statistical inference, geospatial tools, and machine learning models and artificial intelligence. We demonstrate significant results using these applications, the potential misuses and ethical concerns, and draw lessons from their use. Lastly, we make recommendations to help researchers and practitioners support the search for missing persons.

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他们在哪里？审查支持寻找失踪人员的统计技术和数据分析以及基于数据的失踪分析新领域

个体失踪是一个复杂的现象，跨越了不同的地区和时期。现有的研究从不同的法律、社会和法医学科发展而来，表明了人们失踪或失踪的原因和背景，以及在致命案件中协助识别他们的调查工具的发展。然而，一种不同类型的应用研究，我们称之为基于数据的失踪分析（DDA），可以提供统计技术来支持寻找失踪人员。在本文中，我们回顾了关于DDA的文献，密切关注这种方法的演变及其上下文相关性。我们强调了DDA可以支持失踪人员搜索的三种应用：统计推断、地理空间工具、机器学习模型和人工智能。我们展示了使用这些应用程序的显著结果，潜在的滥用和伦理问题，并从它们的使用中吸取教训。最后，我们提出建议，以帮助研究人员和从业人员支持寻找失踪人员。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Forensic science international 医学-医学：法

CiteScore

5.00

自引率

9.10%

发文量

285

审稿时长

49 days

期刊介绍： Forensic Science International is the flagship journal in the prestigious Forensic Science International family, publishing the most innovative, cutting-edge, and influential contributions across the forensic sciences. Fields include: forensic pathology and histochemistry, chemistry, biochemistry and toxicology, biology, serology, odontology, psychiatry, anthropology, digital forensics, the physical sciences, firearms, and document examination, as well as investigations of value to public health in its broadest sense, and the important marginal area where science and medicine interact with the law. The journal publishes: Case Reports Commentaries Letters to the Editor Original Research Papers (Regular Papers) Rapid Communications Review Articles Technical Notes.