Getting Away With Murder in America

Turn on prime time television any night of the week and it’s likely you’ll find a show about a cold case murder. The program will feature an intrepid detective or two who dig in and (Voila!) solve the most perplexing cases.

The reality, however, is very different. Statistics reveal that more than 40% of the time murderers in the United States get away with it. A chilling thought because those who kill without detection can become emboldened and are, of course, free to kill again.

Statisticians keep a running tally of what’s called the ‘murder clearance rate’ to determine how many cases are solved each year. Included in the count are those cases that end with an arrest or the identification of a suspect who can’t be apprehended for whatever reason.  (E.g. they fled the jurisdiction, they are deceased, etc.) According to the latest figures the U.S. murder clearance rate now stands at its lowest level since the FBI first began tracking such figures.

Translated? Every year thousands of murders occur in America in which no one is held accountable.

It takes time for murder investigations to evolve and statistics to be gathered so the latest murder clearance rate numbers come from 2016. That year, according to the FBI, there were an estimated 17,250 murders and only 59.4% were solved. That is the lowest level of clearance ever reported by the FBI.

And the Murder Accountability Project, a non-profit that digs deep into these statistics with the help of the Freedom of Information Act, reports the national clearance rate for murders has been going down steadily since 1965.  Not a good trend.

Solving murder cases has been especially hard in big cities with serious gang activity. Detroit police were able to clear just 15% of their murder cases in 2016.  Chicago posted a dismal clearance rate of 26%. New Orleans was only slightly better that year solving just 28% of its homicide cases. Law enforcement in Memphis found the guilty in just 38% of cases.  Think about how many families across the country will never know who took their loved one’s life.

Why are murder cases so frequently so difficult to solve? Leaders in police and sheriff’s departments, prosecutor’s and mayor’s offices cite several reasons. Tops on all their lists is the reluctance of eyewitnesses to come forward because of the “snitches get stitches” mantra so often heard in high-crime, low-income neighborhoods. Also standing in the way of solving homicides is the lack of police manpower. In many cities retiring detectives are not readily replaced either for budgetary reasons or because there are simply fewer recruits coming up the ranks to fill the positions. As public attacks on law enforcement have increased police academies are finding a lot fewer recruits are signing up. Some report class sizes are down 80 and even 90%.

Eye-witness fears were so serious in Indianapolis, for example, that half the victims who survived gunshots refused to tell police who shot them. Last September, 13-year-old Matthew McGee was shot and killed in a fast-food restaurant parking lot and none of the 10 young people who witnessed the crime would speak to police. In response, Indianapolis established a witness protection fund to help shield those who can provide important testimony.

In Boston, a city that saw its clearance rate dip below 50%, it was decided to stagger detective shifts so that more were assigned to the weekends when the number of murders often rise. They also made a point of immediately interviewing more witnesses at the scene of the crime and gathering more evidence to send to the Boston crime lab.

Witnesses Who Stay Silent Only Help The Killers

It is well established that police investigations are most fruitful in the crucial 48 hours after the crime so immediately pouring more manpower and attention on a crime scene just makes sense. So does proactive policing, focused on those neighborhoods where most of the violent crimes take place.

It’s a sad fact that too few people who live in the most violence-prone neighborhoods are willing to stand up and report gang members who commit so many of these unsolved murders. Citizens need to understand that yelling for justice is not enough. Police cannot pursue perpetrators unless they know who they are. And city leaders need to understand the absolute terror eyewitness’ face, do more to gain their trust and institute rock-solid programs to protect them.

Criminologist Peter Scharf with Louisiana State University has worked with the New Orleans police department and warns of the terrible cycle that’s been created.

“With every one of these weekends where you see multiple killed and even more wounded and few arrested,” he said, “the gangs become more emboldened and the witnesses weaker in their conviction to step up.” Scharf calls our murder clearance rate a “national disaster.”  I’d have to agree.  Now, what are we going to do about it?

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10 Comments

  1. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    Facebook Friend Kim Phillip writes:

    Astonishing statistics Diane Dimond. I have wondered why so many go unsolved. Thank you.

  2. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Facebook Friend Richard Hydell writes:

    That’s a lot of sad family members.//Anyone hurts anyone in my family they will Not get away with it .

  3. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Facebook Friend Kim Winton writes:

    Oh my. How sad for the families. It also goes to show how overwhelmed law enforcement is trying to solve these cases.

  4. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Facebook Friend Donna R. Gore writes:

    Very relevant, true to life! I think another reason has to do with the dissolution of cold case units as the FBI has put more and more resources into domestic terrorism. Families of homicide victims must “stand in line and wait” or be pro-active and self-advocate for their loved one by looking for private assistance and resources. Yelling for justice does no good except an “in the moment feeling.” Great blog, Diane!

  5. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    Facebook Friend Joan Stepp Smith writes:

    I was shocked by these stats.

  6. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    Facebook Friend Andy Kahan writes:

    Diane—thanks for bringing reality for homicide survivors into perspective and not a neatly wrapped up one hour TV Show.

  7. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Facebook Friend Stephen Singular writes:

    Incredible stats

  8. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Facebook Friend Sheryl McCollum writes:

    https://www.change.org/…/families-victims-law…
    CHANGE.ORG
    Sign the Petition
    This is why we need a change in the law!

  9. Diane Dimond on September 3, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Facebook Friend Robby Scott Hill writes:

    Nobody wants to police drugs & pedophiles. Those crimes are so widespread, the investigations often lead to local businessmen, lawyers & judges.

    Unless you’re 100% sure you want to retire from policing, you’ve just alienated yourself from a large portion of the community if you go after folks who just do marijuana & ecstasy or statutory rape.

    Teachers who become involved with their students & other forbidden relationships often go back to school & become lawyers.

    In one case in Alabama, an offender became an assistant district attorney.

    Police officer is a thankless job.

  10. Diane Dimond on September 4, 2018 at 4:54 pm

    Twitter Pal vickie vertel@vvertel writes:

    Terrible statistics. We must financially incentivize recruites on police forces. Free education for star investigators for degrees. Federal dollars for cities who are having trouble funding adequate levels of police force personnel. Thanks Diane!

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