What portion of murders committed in the U.S. result in a suspect being identified and acted upon by the criminal justice system?
Correct Answer
In 2016, 59% of murders committed in the U.S. resulted in a suspect being identified and acted upon by the criminal justice system. This rate has fallen from 92% in 1960. In places like Chicago, this rate has recently been as low as 17%. When murders and other violent crimes remain unsolved: (1) the perpetrators remain free to commit more carnage. (2) potential criminals are less deterred, because they become less concerned about being caught. (3) citizens' fears of crime and retribution for reporting crime are increased. Unsolved murders are more likely to occur in minority neighborhoods because of the nature and amount of these crimes and a lack of witness cooperation.
DocumentationUnsolved MurdersCriminal Justice System