Today with the support of Russian Investigative Committee RF Public Chamber has held hearings “On using volunteers in searching missing children and their interaction with investigators”. The meeting was attended by First Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee Vasily Piscarev and other representatives of the Central Office.

In his introduction speech Mr Piskarev noticed the considerable number of missing children in Russia. “The official figures for 2011 stand at 18 thousand missing children. Unfortunately, I have to admit that a large proportion of missing minors are victims of crimes. Thus over 5 month of 2012 investigating bodies of the Investigative Committee have recognized as victims of crimes 9,063 minors, which considerably exceeds the number of children recognized victims in 2011 – 7,179, even if enlargement of investigators’ jurisdiction is taken into account”, - said Mr Piskarev.

Having heard out a number of volunteers present at the meeting, Vasily Piskarev said that Investigative Committee prepared directions providing for cooperation with volunteer organizations. He also pointed out that: “Investigators should always have information on ongoing regional volunteer organizations. This will allow investigators to make quick contacts with their coordinators in case of emergency situations relating to searches for a missing child. It is also very important to explain the volunteers the current laws regulating pre-investigation checks, preliminary investigations and protection of constitution rights”.

“Work of central investigating bodies with volunteer organizations will be coordinated by the Central Office of Investigative Committee”, - Mr Piskarev added.

Concluding the meeting, participants worked out a number of explicit proposals aimed to achieve coherence of actions of investigation divisions of the Investigative Committee with volunteer organizations and public movements. This will allow more efficient search for missing children and will make for prevention of crimes against minors.