Maybe my vision of the 1980s and 1990s is colored by UM, but it does seem like disappearances, missing person's cases and unsolved murders and serial killings were a "bigger deal" socially in the 80s to the mid 90s than today. Today it seems a mysterious disappearance or death is only given nationwide media attention if it's someone who 'stands out' (IE, an attractive girl with a rich family like Natalee Holloway, a cute little girl like Jonbenet, etc).

Look at most of the cases featured on UM. I doubt say a person on the East Coast would ever have heard of say, the Kathy Hobbs murder, if not for UM. UM took local or "obscure" cases and turned them into something people across the nation watched and knew about. I think once they stopped doing that and began to focus more on the hokey supernatural stuff in the mid '90s is when UM began to fall from popularity.

So what is it--Was it simply UM was a great show which shed light on tragedies most people would otherwise not know about? Did the public care more in the 1980s and 1990s? Or did mysterious disappearances simply happen more often back then?

And what about serial killers? UM and other books have suggested there are anywhere from 50-100 serial killers operating in the US at any given time. I'd assume that number is still accurate, yet we no longer here about "X person being snatched/killed in Utah or Nevada". Has serial murder all but stopped, or has the public stopped caring and paying attention?

I do think that the public payed more attention to crimes in the 1980's and 1990's because not only were crime shows like Unsolved Mysteries and America's Most Wanted fresh and new to the world, but we didn't have reality TV, IPods, Facebook, crummy pop and rap music, etc. back then to distract us from the real world. Us forumers here still care about these old cases, and so do some law enforcement agents, but I do see where people are getting lax about missing/murdered people, they'd rather party all the time and watch their crummy MTV shows and Real Housewives crap than help solve a case. Luckily we do have Nancy Grace (as much as some hate her) and other crime solvers to help get the word out though.

What an interesting thread. I think it's true that while a few high-profile mysterious deaths/disappearances have been in the national spotlight recently, they tend to only stay there very briefly (a few nights on Nancy Grace, etc.) unless there are more developments.

I think part of it is due to the current lack of a show like UM that focuses solely on unsolved crimes. The ID channel is awesome, but seems to have shows that focus mainly on crimes that have already been solved (aside from "Disappeared," which is excellent and does focus on unsolved stories).

I also think that technology has made it a lot harder to commit and get away with certain types of crimes. Cell phones have made hitchhiking nearly obsolete, in addition to providing digital trails (calls/texts/pings) and making it easier for victims to call for help in any sort of situation. In addition, the internet and computer forensics have made it much easier for criminals to leave a digital trail of their own, thus increasing the likelihood that they're eventually caught.

I also think that today's "helicopter parent paranoia" has had the positive effect of keeping kids and teens out of a lot of dangerous situations, despite going a bit too far at times.

As far as serial murder, it probably has decreased in recent years due to the factors above + better police work, but given the current (and future?) economy,there could be a whole new batch of people wanting to go "off the grid" or disappear for a while, or who become homeless or turn to drugs, thus creating new potential victims for this type of crime.

Even though I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in the 90s, it's so easy to forget what daily life was like before cell phones, the internet, GPS, background checks, sex offender databases, advanced DNA testing, "To Catch a Predator," etc. If your breaks down, you're at the mercy of the first stranger who stops. If you get lost, your only option is to go to the nearest business and ask around. If someone harasses you by phone, oh well because you don't have caller ID. Life was so different just 15 years ago, which might make yesterday's unsolved crimes solvable today.

Well I for one think it's getting bad out there. everyday I hear more and more about folks going off the grid and either kidnapping or shooting people up. more acts of terrorism etc. it's frightening to say the least. I'm afraid it will get worse and worse.

Because we are apparently more progressed these days thanks to the 50 people you will pass by with a cell phone. Media is too focused on idiotic celebrities and their everyday problems.

I think it has to do with the type of disappearance. If it's a baby, such as the Lisa Irwin case, a toddler, like Caylee Anthony or like the OP mentioned, an attractive (mostly white and blonde) young girl from a wealthy family, the media jumps on it. Minorities who disappear, (one notable exception is Phylicia Barnes) and white girls from blue collar backgrounds don't seem to get the attention they deserve because there's an automatic assumption that if you're poorer and/or a minority, regardless of whether they live in an urban area or not, the disappearance is either drug, gang or domestic violence related and it doesn't fascinate the media. That's why it's a shame that UM is no longer on, because they featured missing persons and mysterious deaths from all backgrounds.

Another major factor could be that we have a number of all-news channels that can exclusively focus on these cases which may tend to bore viewers and get them looking for other things to watch. I remember a lot of people on the Internet who were tired of the nonstop coverage on Natalee Holloway and wishing the news would ease up.

1. UM doesn't exist anymore

2. Everyone has ADD

I tend to blame it on the rise of shows like 48 Hours, Dateline, and so forth. Such shows focus on the solved crimes as opposed to the unsolved crimes. I think major networks prefer the solved crime based shows over unsolved since it usually provides resolution. With such resolution, they can mold the show's presentation in such a way to grab the viewers' attention. This type of format is also prevalent with a lot of Discovery ID shows.

I'm hoping a show like Disappeared can turn the tides, though. We have far too many shows based on solved crimes, and not enough on unsolved crimes.

I remember back in the 80's the missing children bulletin boards were much more common. You dont even get them at the airport anymore if they are ive not come across them.

2. Everyone has ADD

I'm sorry, what did you say? I was distracted by a hummingbird outside my window.

Y'know it's really a shame that shows like UM aren't around anymore -- back then all they had was a toll free number and yes, it worked -- there was (don't quote me on this) approximately something like, 200 cases solved as a result

I mean, could you just imagine the impact a show like UM (and I don't mean the bull**** Spike version, either) would have with all the information technology available nowadays?

i have to agree with 1990 um fan. not only have people's attention and interest shifted to reality television, jersey shore and other such inane "entertainment", but the very idea of reality has been distorted to now being something more manufactured and contrived. for whatever reason, many people are more interested in following someone's progress on a show like american idol rather than the search of a missing person or unsolved crime.

to compete with this, many networks force the few crime shows to focus more on entertainment and engaging stories- which, as many of you have already pointed out- seems to either focus more on "attractive (mostly white) girls from wealthy backgrounds" or extremely unusual circumstances.

i have to agree with 1990 um fan. not only have people's attention and interest shifted to reality television, jersey shore and other such inane "entertainment", but the very idea of reality has been distorted to now being something more manufactured and contrived. for whatever reason, many people are more interested in following someone's progress on a show like american idol rather than the search of a missing person or unsolved crime.

to compete with this, many networks force the few crime shows to focus more on entertainment and engaging stories- which, as many of you have already pointed out- seems to either focus more on "attractive (mostly white) girls from wealthy backgrounds" or extremely unusual circumstances.

Thanks for agreeing with me, and I agree with your statements above. It appalls me that people have become zombies to today's media fodder.

The one billboard that still lives on is the billboard at every local Walmart. It is astonishing how many missing children cases have been solved through flyers posted at Walmart. I suspect this is because practically everyone tends to shop there. Also, every week most residential addresses receive coupons and flyers which in some areas still feature pictures of missing children. Both of these are courtesy of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

As I recall the first national movement for missing children involved the proverbial "face on the milk carton" around 1984 after John Walsh's son's disappearance made national news.