Daniel Robinson Foundation Mission

According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, over 600,000 people of all ages go missing in the United States each year. While the majority are eventually located, approximately 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered annually. States such as California, Texas, Florida, Alaska, and Arizona consistently report the highest numbers of missing persons, with Arizona alone recording over 1,000 cases annually. These alarming statistics underscore an urgent need for systemic reforms to address this growing crisis.

Communities of color, particularly Black and Indigenous Americans, are disproportionately affected by missing persons cases, reflecting long-standing inequities. Black Americans, who comprise roughly 13% of the U.S. population, account for more than 30% of all reported missing persons. Similarly, Native Americans face staggering rates of disappearance. Although they represent less than 2% of the U.S. population, Indigenous peoples are reported missing at rates up to 10 times higher than the national average in certain regions, according to data from the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI). In some states, such as Alaska, Native Americans constitute the majority of missing persons despite being a small percentage of the population. Hispanic and Asian Americans also face challenges, with underreported cases and barriers such as language, cultural differences, and systemic bias exacerbating the crisis.

A study published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology revealed that the media significantly underreport cases involving people of color. For example, fewer than 30% of Indigenous cases and only about 20% of cases involving Black individuals receive media coverage, contributing to a lack of public awareness and urgency. Families in these communities often report that their loved ones are more likely to be misclassified as runaways and that their cases receive less attention from law enforcement compared to others.

The Daniel Robinson Foundation was created to address these disparities and provide critical support to families of missing persons across all races and communities.

Our mission is to deliver outreach, resources, and advocacy to families navigating the challenges of finding their missing loved ones. We are committed to bridging the gaps in media attention, raising public awareness, and improving law enforcement response for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background. Every missing person deserves the same level of urgency, dignity, and care. Together, we can confront these inequities and work toward a future where everyone is valued and no case is overlooked.

Daniel Robinson Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (C)(3) Organization, and all donations are tax-deductible by law.
Daniel Robinson Foundation