NEBRASKA - Professors in Omaha are collecting data on missing and murdered indigenous women and children.

Following a 2020 state-mandated study with the Nebraska State Patrol, researchers from the University of Nebraska Omaha's Criminology department decided to dig deeper into the fact that Native Americans are missing three times their rate in the state's population.

This week, they are interviewing police and next will speak with juvenile justice stakeholders.

The professors hope they will be able to find new sources to gather missing children reports, especially as schools close during the pandemic.

Associate Professor Tara Richards shared that she hopes the research will lead to increased services for the loved ones of missing Native American persons, and prevention services for kids who are considering running away.

Her coworker Emily Wright said she wants the data to reach a national scale.

Going forward, the team recommends a number of solutions in the previous release, such as to increase tribal law enforcement agencies or strengthen cultural awareness training for patrol.

They expect to offer analyses of their data around summer.