Crime Solvability Factors

Book excerpt: At a time when resources are scarce, not every crime may be investigated as fully as is desirable. Police generally use experience to guide their case screening. This volume demonstrates a new, research-based approach, exploring innovative research on crime solvability as a factor for crime investigation and prevention. Crime solvability is the interplay between forensic science, decision-making, and prediction to determine the likelihood that a crime will be solved. This text discusses recent studies of how solvable cases may be identified, using original sets of police data. It focuses on high-volume crimes such as burglary, assault, metal theft, and cyberfraud. By targeting more cases that can be solved, police departments can manage their resources better and have the greatest effect on arrests, as well as preventing future crimes by these offenders. Topics covered include: Research into the effects of crime solvability and detection outcomes. Studies ranging from less severe, high-volume crimes to severe offences. Effects of resources on investigating and detecting crime. Theoretical resourcing-solvability model of crime detection. Detection complements preventive approaches in containing criminal activity. Chapters on incident solvability and measured use of resources in different investigative stages. Predictive approaches for improving crime solvability. Property, violent, and sexual offenses. Crime Solvability Factors: Police Resources and Crime Detection will be of interest to researchers in criminology and criminal justice, particularly with an interest in quantitative and experimental research and police studies. It will also be of interest to policymakers and police organizations.