Using data from a national survey, the role of police in responding to family abduction episodes is examined, with an aim of clarifying the causes and consequences of police intervention in these events. Specifically, the following questions are addressed: What is the frequency of police involvement in family abductions? How do abductions to which police respond differ from those to which they do not? What actions do police take, and how do aggrieved parents assess these actions? What is the effect of police intervention on episode outcomes?
