Debunking The 48 Hours Myth
Forty eight hours, 2,880 minutes, 172,800 seconds. So many things can take place within this window of time—being forced to vacate your home, going on a trip half way across the world, or even surprising someone with a marriage proposal. The possibilities of what can happen in a matter of two days are endless and time stops for no one. But why is it that one must wait 24 to 48 hours before reporting a person missing?
Well, it turns out that this is just a myth. Patrick Allan, staff writer for Lifehacker, writes that “movies and TV shows have spread the myth that you must wait 24 to 48 hours to report missing people, but that’s not the case for nearly every U.S. police office in the real world.” This misconception of having to wait two days to report someone missing is often spread by police and detective shows such as Criminal Minds, and Without a Trace.
According to the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the first 24 to 48 hours after the disappearance of a child are the most crucial in order to return the child back home. And so, although many may enjoy exciting shows and movies where individuals go missing, these shows and movies create misconceptions that many, including myself, have believed for years.
These misconceptions can have serious implications in the real world, putting lives at risk due to misinformation. The idea that one would have to wait 24 to 48 hours to report a missing person is not only heart-wrenching for the missing individual, but also for the loved ones who are worried sick and want to desperately find their friend or family member.
Two days may not seem like much, but for a worried parent these are two days of fearing the worst, being sleep deprived, and maybe even losing hope—not to mention the potential trauma, suffering, or even death that a victim can experience in just two days.
When even the police claims that the first 48 hours are the most crucial to get a missing person back home, it is simply not logical to wait 24 to 48 hours to finally search for a lead. After 24 hours, a person can become completely untraceable. When you get right down to it, it only takes one quick moment to end a person’s life.
It is bewildering to see how so many believe the myth that you must wait 24 to 48 hours to report someone missing. Ultimately, the public should be more informed on the guidelines and steps to report a missing person as this can happen to anyone. We should never let time be an unneeded accessory to the death of an individual. After all, time waits for no one.
