41% arrest rate for Murder in LA county?

[AF_int1n0]

Hey all,
Found this in LA times murder blog.

Los Angeles Times: The Homicide Blog

An arrest was made in about 41% of all murders committed in Los Angeles County in 2007, according to data collected by the Homicide Report.

Wow, just wow. Not even 50% of murders were solved. So not only can the police not protect you in LA. (or anywhere) they can't even find you killer more than 1/2 the time???

How does this compare to anywhere else in California?

[YankeeDog]

Probably not as bad as some of the nearby communities like Compton but certainly bad enough. I am in LA at least once a week in neighborhoods that are definately dicey and some of the characters floating around make the hair on my neck stand up. I couldn't imagine what the place is like in the dark.
YD

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by AF_int1n0

Hey all,
Found this in LA times murder blog.

Los Angeles Times: The Homicide Blog

An arrest was made in about 41% of all murders committed in Los Angeles County in 2007, according to data collected by the Homicide Report.

Wow, just wow. Not even 50% of murders were solved. So not only can the police not protect you in LA. (or anywhere) they can't even find you killer more than 1/2 the time???

How does this compare to anywhere else in California?

Remember, solving murders and arresting people for murders are two separate things.

How many murders were committed that they KNOW who the perpetrator is, but can't find him, or they know he's skipped town, or the evidence just doesn't support an arrest.

I suspect you might be able to add another 10-15% on to that number.

[AF_int1n0]

So your saying 30% are solved??

You're really not helping my confidence in the system.

[Bombard]

No, the other way. More like 50-60% are solved - as in, we know who did it - but in some of those we can't arrest the guy 'cause we can't find him or we don't have enough evidence.

OTOH, not all of those arrested are going to end with convictions. And a few of those convictions are just wrong - Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Eddie Lee Howard: Mississippi's Next Exoneration?

[AF_int1n0]

Then does solved equal a conviction or just that you know who did it?

Because was thinking of case solved as being that the killer is caught and sent to jail or is killed (either in the action of arresting him, or by another would be victim.

[45 ACP]

Read beyond the fuzzy math and you find:

There are many different ways to calculate solve rates, or clearance rates, for homicide. While this analysis considers only homicide cases resolved by an arrest, an additional portion of cases involve investigations that are concluded without an arrest, usually because there was some impediment to prosecuting a known suspect.

[EM2]

I got to say, I would only consider the case closed if the suspect were caught & convicted, killed, or exonerated, (as in self defense). Anything else is just BS. If a case is closed due to "some impediment to prosecuting a known suspect" then that means he is still on the loose to commit a crime again. I certainly would not put that in the case closed column and mislead the public in the crime stats. I believe most people would have a false sense of accomplishment for the LEOs.

[BonoVox]

Simpson/Goldman murder. Solved or not?

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

I guess it is not solved since OJ is still out searching for the real killer.

[Bombard]

Originally Posted by EM2

I got to say, I would only consider the case closed if the suspect were caught & convicted, killed, or exonerated, (as in self defense). Anything else is just BS. If a case is closed due to "some impediment to prosecuting a known suspect" then that means he is still on the loose to commit a crime again. I certainly would not put that in the case closed column and mislead the public in the crime stats. I believe most people would have a false sense of accomplishment for the LEOs.

There are a few (very few) where the suspect is never charged because he's already in jail for life or on death row.

[1buba]

Originally Posted by 45 ACP

Read beyond the fuzzy math and you find:

Pretty much leaves it wide open, don't it. Makes the article, like so many others, useless drivel.

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by AF_int1n0

So your saying 30% are solved??

You're really not helping my confidence in the system.

LOL...the other way!

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by AF_int1n0

Then does solved equal a conviction or just that you know who did it?

Because was thinking of case solved as being that the killer is caught and sent to jail or is killed (either in the action of arresting him, or by another would be victim.

The article talked about 41% resulting in arrests...not solved...add another 10% to 15% where they know who did it, but for one reason or another, there was no arrest...those could count as "solved".

I think a good case in point would be Joran Van Der Sloot...I don't think there is anyone who doesn't think he's guilty as sin, yet he hasn't been arrested and stood trial for his crime (yet). Some would consider it solved, it's just a matter of tying up loose ends and evidence. Others would not see it as solved. But I don't think anyone questions if he did it or not.

[AF_int1n0]

Joran Van Der Sloot? Did he actually kill her, or did he just not report her death?

I see your point though. Kinda like OJ. We all know he did it, but he still gets to look for the "Real Killer"

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by AF_int1n0

Joran Van Der Sloot? Did he actually kill her, or did he just not report her death?

Thats the point

Did he or didn't he...He says he didn't actually kill her, but when he isn't certain if she is dead or not, and supposedly has a friend come out and dump the body in the ocean, I'd say that goes beyond not reporting her death, and crosses into the realm of being responsible.

It isn't hard to prove someone died by alcohol poisoning...the fact that he's so evasive, and there is no body, makes a pretty good argument for suspicious death and not accidental death...

Without a body, we'll never know, and he'll likely never be prosecuted...