Missing persons : the use of cyber technologies to trace absentees in Malta

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is to provide a detailed insight in relation to missing persons in Malta. Throughout the last decade, there was a substantial increase in the statistics of missing persons’ reports, and each year a small percentage of them remain missing. The author seeks to examine the process to trace absentees in Malta, specifically through the use of cyber technologies. Since local research on the subject is limited, a qualitative approach is chosen to gather the required data through interviews with law enforcement and media houses. In this extensive research, the use of cyber technologies found in existing literature is compared to the local context and its effectiveness is evaluated. The role of law enforcement, media houses and the public provides the author and readers with an understanding of how a missing person’s investigation is addressed through different stakeholders. A set of recommendations is presented in an attempt to prevent the occurrence of certain disappearances and suggestions for further research are also put forward.