Falling Homicide Clearance Rates

[Jimmy Higgins]

I think you gave to look at the demographics of murder.

In Washington the police report it is generally related to drugs and gangs. Polce are not going to get much help on suspects.

There are now growing random shootings in Western Washington. Cars being shot at on the road for no apparent reasons.

Police are probably overwhelmed, certainly in the Seattle region. Shortage of police, and more are leaving than being hired. Add to that the dropping support for poice i general.

Just to make something clear # of police officers isn't really as relevant as # of competent detectives.

Population growth is a factor. Also average case load for murder detectives in big cities.

As bilby noted, convictions verses getting the right guy isn't necessarily one to one here with historical numbers. And of course, the impact of Miranda. Animosity towards the police has grown as well, and the police appear less and less a part of the community.

 

[steve_bank]

Shifting blame on police is now the norm.

City councils approve police budgets. From national reporting not just Seattle with all the demonizing of police there are fewer applicants and less qualified applicants. Who wants to be a cop in this environment.

Fron an IQ study on occupations I read in the 80s police were actually above average on standardized IQ.

I don't see enough ready information to make a case as to causes.

Police are at the end of a long chain of causalities they have no control over. They clean up the mess society creates.

Detectives retire and there are less officers in the pipeline to replace them. That is why officers per captia per year would be a good metric.

On top of recruiting and retention issues Seattle police finding has not kept up with population even before the current problems.
police
How do police deal with a 6 year old kid who brings a gun to school and shoots a teacher? Peoleant to believe it is all business as usual.

You can not evaluate police side of the context of the culture they have to operate in.

6-year-old in custody after shooting teacher in Virginia, police chief says | CNN

A 6-year-old boy is in police custody after he shot a teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, Friday afternoon, Police Chief Steve Drew said in a news conference.

www.cnn.com