Investigative Trajectory Model
A structural sequence linking classification, speed, preservation, clarity, amplification, elasticity, and probability.
Research
Methodology, models, and structural analysis.
The Unfound Project examines missing persons investigations as institutional systems shaped by classification, response speed, preservation, visibility, and long-term investigative persistence.
Research Overview
A structural approach to disappearance investigations
The Unfound Project applies systems analysis to missing persons response in the United States. Rather than focusing primarily on narrative reconstruction, the project studies the institutional architecture that shapes investigative trajectory over time.
This includes classification decisions, response speed, evidence preservation, search conditions, media amplification, inter-agency coordination, and the long-term elasticity of unresolved cases.
Methodology
How the research is structured
Trajectory Modeling
Cases are examined as evolving trajectories shaped by identifiable structural variables.
Evidence Preservation Analysis
The project evaluates how timing influences the survival of digital, testimonial, and physical evidence.
Search Probability Frameworks
Search conditions are considered through terrain, uncertainty, and movement assumptions.
Media Amplification Dynamics
Public visibility is studied as a structural variable that alters investigative reach and elasticity.
Institutional Coordination
The project evaluates how fragmented systems influence continuity, clarity, and speed.
Policy-Oriented Inquiry
The research identifies leverage points where procedural reform may reduce preventable narrowing.
Research Exhibits
Visual analytical models
Investigative Momentum Curve
A visual model showing how momentum narrows over time as evidence and attention decline.
Evidence Decay Curve
A model illustrating how evidence windows contract during the early investigative phase.
Search Probability Envelope
A model examining how uncertainty expands as time delay and terrain increase search scope.
Data Sources
Research inputs and reference systems
Federal Reporting Systems
NCIC missing persons statistics and related law-enforcement reporting structures.
Case Documentation
Publicly documented timelines, reporting archives, and investigative summaries.
Search and Response Models
Probability-based search frameworks, terrain considerations, and timing analysis.
Media and Visibility Systems
Coverage dynamics, amplification patterns, and the relationship between visibility and momentum.
Institutional Structure
Jurisdictional fragmentation, reporting pathways, alert systems, and preservation practices.
Policy Analysis
Potential areas of procedural reform including preservation, reporting consistency, and cold case infrastructure.