Effectiveness of the F.B.I.'s Top Ten Most Wanted List

Abstract

The purpose of the current research was to assess what circumstances occurred in fugitive cases, what circumstances lead to the location of fugitives, and the circumstances surrounding sightings and media in the F.B.I.'s Top Ten Most Wanted List. In regards to sightings of fugitives, researchers were interested in the rates of prospective person memory as compared to retrospective person memory. Researchers created a coding protocol and coded every entry in the database to describe the circumstances occurring and leading to location of fugitives. Frequency analysis was then done to track how likely each circumstance was in the database. Researchers found the list to be successful in locating fugitives, with the majority being apprehended. Citizen sightings were found to be the second most common occurrence that led to location of the wanted individual. In regards to citizen sightings, researchers found that prospective person memory was engaged more frequently than retrospective memory and that sighters more often than not did not know the wanted person personally. This study has implications as to how successful the Top Ten List is at locating wanted persons and how successful their campaign is at initiating and mobilizing public engagement.