Adult missing person alert criteria will vary from state to state and by jurisdiction. The reporting and alert processes are operated independently by the states, territories, and tribes. In all instances, the reporting of a missing adult requires law enforcement involvement and an investigation.
IN ALL CASES, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY to report a missing person and to determine if the circumstances meet the state/territory or tribal criteria for an adult missing person alert.
The National Ashanti Alert Network does not accept reports of missing adults, but is a link to the state, territorial, and tribal area to share missing adult information to assist in the location and investigation of that individual.
History
On December 31, 2018, the Ashanti Alert Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-401) became law. Named in honor of Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old woman who was abducted and killed in Virginia in 2017, the law establishes a voluntary nationwide communication network to aid in the search and recovery of missing persons over the age of 17 who fall outside the scope of America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alerts and Silver Alerts.
The Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance has established the National Ashanti Alert Network to encourage, enhance, and integrate Ashanti Alert plans that aim to improve communications among participating states, territories, and tribes in locating missing adults throughout the United States.
About Ashanti Alerts
Ashanti Alerts, once implemented, can provide for rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, and the public about adults who have been reported missing along with suspect information in cases of suspected abduction. Ashanti Alerts could be transmitted via wireless devices and through the Emergency Alert System.
Learn More
Learn more about the National Ashanti Alert Network in the fact sheet, by watching July 2020 webinar recording, or by accessing the relevant information on the following pages: