Community Variation in Crime Clearance: A Multilevel Analysis with Comments on Assessing Police Performance

• NCJ Number: 219651
• Journal: Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 23 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2007 Pages: 243-258
• Author(s): Paul-Philippe Pare; Richard B. Felson; Marc Ouimet
• Date Published: September 2007
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This Canadian study examined how the characteristics of a crime and the community context in which it occurred affected the likelihood that it would be cleared by the police.

Abstract

Highlights of study findings include: (1) little evidence was found that a heavy workload interfered with the police’s ability to clear crime; (2) crime clearance was much higher in small communities than large communities; (3) low clearance rates could not explain higher rates of crime in impoverished communities, crime clearance was higher in impoverished communities than in wealthier communities; and (4) the types of crime that occurred in a community affected crime clearance. In summation, the examination of clearance rates is important both for the study of deterrence and the evaluation of the effectiveness of police departments. The results suggest that it is easier to avoid prosecution if one commits a crime in urban areas or wealthier communities. The certainty of punishment depends on where the offender commits the crime. A standard measure of success at law enforcement is the crime clearance rate. The clearance rate typically refers to the number of criminal incidents in which at least one suspect is charged and/or arrested for the offense, divided by the total number of incidents known to the police. In this analysis, the effects of types of crimes from those of community characteristics are isolated. The community variables include the level of poverty, the size of the community, and the crime workload (the number of crimes in the community relative to the number of police). The primary goal of this research was to examine the effects of community context on crime clearance and to determine whether the effects were different for different types of crimes. The research also suggests practical techniques to better assess police performance at crime clearance. Tables, figure, references