REGINA — A new book from a University of Regina researcher is challenging one of society’s most deeply held beliefs about missing persons.
Dr. Lorna Ferguson, an assistant professor in the Department of Justice Studies and founder of Canada’s National Missing Persons Research Hub, has spent more than a decade studying the issue. Her new book, Missing Persons: Beyond Serial Killers and Unexplained Disappearances, argues the public narrative is not just incomplete, it is fundamentally misleading.
“I went missing myself as a teenager,” Ferguson shared. “I was what police call a troubled youth runaway… and I wanted to think about how I can change the situation and improve it for people in positions like mine.”
That lived experience now underpins years of research, including more than 220 interviews and the analysis of over 20,000 missing person reports. What she found runs counter to the stories dominating headlines and streaming platforms.
“In Canada, around 80 per cent of cases are resolved within 24 to 48 hours, and those individuals are found alive and unharmed,” Ferguson explained. “The cases involving harm are real, but they are not the majority.”
Instead, she describes missing persons as a broad and complex social issue, one that ranges from people intentionally leaving stressful or unsafe situations to those experiencing mental health crises or cognitive decline.
“The reality is that missing persons is a very complex and broad phenomenon,” she said. “It’s not just crime. It’s not just abduction. It’s not just the cases people see on TV.”
Ferguson’s research introduces a “continuum” of missing persons cases, from intentional disappearances to situations where people are lost, abducted, or otherwise missing without choice. Many cases fall somewhere in between.
That nuance, she argues, is often erased.
“What the public sees is a skewed reality,” Ferguson said. “The most dramatic and mysterious cases are the ones that get attention, and that shapes how people understand the issue.”
She points to the role of media and true crime culture in amplifying certain stories while overlooking others. Concepts like “newsworthiness,” selection, and sensationalism determine which cases are seen and how they are framed.
“The stories are not neutral,” she said. “They’re structured to capture attention, and that means we’re not seeing the full picture.”
That distortion carries real consequences.
One of the most persistent myths, Ferguson notes, is the idea that people must wait before reporting someone missing.
“That’s not true,” she stressed. “The quicker someone is reported missing, the better. Time matters.”
Her work also highlights something rarely discussed: the scale of effort behind every case. Police officers, search and rescue volunteers, and families are constantly working, often without recognition.
“The amount of passion and care in this field is incredible,” she said. “There’s so much happening behind the scenes that people don’t see.”
That realization led her to create the Missing Persons Research Hub, a national network designed to connect research, resources, and support in one place.
At its core, Ferguson says the issue comes down to awareness and responsibility.
“If someone isn’t where they’re expected to be, report it,” she urged. “Don’t wait.”
Her book is not about solving mysteries. It is about changing how people think, and ultimately, how they respond.
“We need people to care,” she said. “Because missing persons is not rare. It’s happening every day, and it affects more people than we realize.”
Missing Persons: Beyond Serial Killers and Unexplained Disappearances is now available for pre-order in Canada, with releases beginning later this spring.
