How tips from civilians can help in the capture of dangerous criminals who are considered by the FBI to be the most wanted

In many cases, important information from civilians has helped the FBI find dangerous criminals.

The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is continually updated and includes the criminals who are considered the most wanted at any given time. The list is often based on the severity of the crimes committed. The names of those on the list are featured on television, online, and in podcasts to raise awareness of dangerous fugitives who may not otherwise be known to the public.

The Top 10 Most Wanted List has helped to catch or locate nearly 500 criminals since the first list was published.

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1. What is the FBI's ten most wanted fugitives list?
2. How does someone get on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list?
3. Who has been on the FBI's list the longest?
4. How many people were on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list?

1. Who are on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list?

The FBI's list of the ten most wanted fugitives dates back to 1950.

After a reporter asked the FBI the previous year for names and descriptions of the “toughest” guys they wanted to catch, he was presented with a list in March 1950, according to a FAQ page on FBI.gov.

After the story caught public attention, then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover launched the “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” program.

Since the list was created, tips from citizens have helped to catch and track down dangerous criminals on the streets.

According to FBI.gov, the list was created to “highlight particularly dangerous fugitives who may not otherwise merit national attention.”

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The names of the most wanted criminals can be found online and current information is also posted on the FBI's social media pages.

Outside of the FBI's official list, there are many other ways to catch dangerous criminals using public tips.

The FBI list can be found online and on the agency's social media pages. (iStock)

There are numerous true crime podcasts available to listeners that have helped solve crimes, and television shows like America's Most Wanted have played a role in the capture of dangerous criminals.

The television show originally launched in 1988 with John Walsh as host and creator. Walsh was struck by tragedy when his six-year-old first-born son, Adam Walsh, was kidnapped and brutally murdered.

Since this personal tragedy, Walsh has made it her mission to protect children from kidnappers and to quickly release abducted children.

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The series originally ran for 24 seasons. During its original run, the series helped catch more than 1,190 criminals, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization founded by Walsh, his wife and other activists.

Walsh returned in 2024 to host a reboot of the show on Fox, with his son Callahan as co-host.

“The backbone of the show is the viewers. They are the informants that give us the information that leads to the arrest, that leads to justice for these families … that are so desperately seeking it,” Callahan previously told Fox News Digital.

“Once again it comes back to the viewer, the fan, to this armchair detective [or] Internet Detective, and we are able to reach those individuals not only through the show, but through social media and providing additional information… being able to use the public and our fan base as a force multiplier is what the show is all about – shining a bright spotlight on a wanted fugitive and getting the public to do the right thing.”

John Walsh's television show “America's Most Wanted” also used information from viewers to help catch dangerous criminals. (Maarten de Boer/Getty Images)

2. How does someone get on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list?

To be placed on the list, a person must have committed serious crimes and be considered a danger to society. There must also be a belief that national publicity will help with the arrest, according to FBI.gov. In addition, the offender must not yet be known to the public.

The FBI's 56 field offices will submit candidates for the list to the Criminal Investigative Division (CID) at FBI Headquarters.

The nominees are then reviewed by special agents from the CID and the Office of Public Affairs, according to FBI.gov.

Final approval must come from FBI senior management.

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3. Who has been on the FBI's list the longest?

The person who was on the FBI's list the longest was Victor Manuel Gerena, who appeared from May 1984 to December 2016.

Gerena was wanted for an alleged robbery of a security company in West Hartford, Connecticut, in which approximately $7 million was stolen. Gerena has not yet been caught.

The shortest period a fugitive was on the list was Billie Austin Bryan in 1969. According to FBI.gov, he was arrested two hours after being added to the list. He was found just four blocks from his home.

The length of time a criminal remains on the FBI's list varies. (iStock)

According to FBI.gov, a person is removed from the list and replaced by another if he or she is arrested, charges are dropped, or if the person no longer meets the criteria for inclusion on the list.

An example of this would be the case if the person is no longer considered a “particularly dangerous threat to society”.

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4. How many people were on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list?

As of November 2023, there were 532 fugitives on the FBI's list. Of these fugitives, 494 were caught or located. One hundred and sixty-three of the people caught or located were found as a result of tips from the public, according to FBI.gov.

The FBI's Most Wanted List includes criminals involved in many different types of crimes. Over the years, the main types of crimes on the list have changed.

For example, in the early days of the program, fugitives were often wanted for bank robberies, burglaries and car thefts, according to the FBI's FAQ sheet.

In the 1960s, this scope shifted to crimes related to the destruction of state property, sabotage and kidnapping.

Over the years, the types of crimes most commonly committed by those on the FBI's Most Wanted list have changed. (iStock)

Then, in the 1970s, many criminals on the list were involved in organized crime and terrorism.

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In the 1980s and 1990s, the list mainly included sex offenders, international terrorists and drug traffickers.

The current list includes many fugitives involved in the same crimes, with crimes against children, white collar crimes and gang violence also included on the list, according to FBI.gov.