Author Topic: Good news on the murder front.  (Read 911 times)

just Warren

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230RN

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Re: Good news on the murder front.
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2020, 10:43:02 AM »
I'm sure there's a relationship between "clearance rates" and "conviction rates," and  I guess if his system works, then the system works.

But I'm uncomfortable with the notion that a mere clearance (meaning an arrest) is a "good thing" in terms of crime-solving statistics.   To me, it suggests the idea that arresting people is the end game, regardless of ultimate conviction.

I realize he's generating "pointers" to people who've possibly commtted similar crimes, but somehow the line in that old movie rings a bell:  "Round up the usual suspects."

Terry, 230RN

« Last Edit: May 23, 2020, 11:22:58 AM by 230RN »

MechAg94

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Re: Good news on the murder front.
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2020, 12:21:51 PM »
Seems to me all his system really does is indicate whether specific crimes may be related even if they are separated by a lot of time.  Since most of these will have different investigators, it makes sense that a detective a few years later may have no knowledge of a previous case.  Big caveat to me is it assumes the police reports and statistical information is accurate.  I am not really sure how that helps them solve the case.  It just alerts them that some of the crimes may not be random.

Talking about conviction rates, I was thinking the same thing.  How do they know the conviction rates back then were accurate.  Maybe it was all based on bite marks and hair follicle examination. 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge