Creating Solvability With Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs): Impacts on Homicide and Shooting Investigations

Abstract

Amidst recent increases in homicides and shootings in the United States, clearances rates for homicides have declined and nonfatal shooting cases remain notoriously difficult to solve. Considerable research indicates that the outcomes of homicide and shooting investigations are likely influenced by a range of factors, including inherited case characteristics, investigative actions, forensic testing, and agency resources. Recent advancements in technologies available to law enforcement may help fill persistent gaps in solvability, but research remains limited on their effectiveness. RTCCs integrate a variety of technological innovations and software programs to rapidly receive and distribute information to support police operations, and they harness the strong potential to powerfully impact investigative outcomes and offer an additional pathway through which police agencies can increase case clearance. The current study explores the impact of strategic efforts in the Hartford Police Department (HPD) to increase investigative effectiveness through RTCC processes and technologies. Our findings indicate that RTCC activities significantly increase the likelihood that a case is solved, and this effect is primarily due to RTCC analysts’ ability to locate and analyze video associated with the case. When associated video was located, cases were 442% more likely to be solved when controlling for other covariates. The HPD’s RTCC operations, institutionalized technology, and organizational culture also play a crucial role, with a commitment to technology and information-sharing enhancing investigative capabilities. This study emphasizes the effectiveness of real-time crime centers in locating digital evidence, facilitating rapid information dissemination, and fostering agencywide collaboration, ultimately improving investigative outcomes.