Homicide Clearance Rates in the United States, 1976–2017

Examining Homicide Clearance Rates Relative to the Situational Circumstances in Which They Occur

Avdija, Avdi S. PhD
Gallagher, Christian PhD
Woods, DeVere D. PhD

School of Criminology & Security Studies, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana

Correspondence regarding this article should be directed to Avdi S. Avdija, PhD, Associate Professor, Indiana State University, School of Criminology & Security studies, Holmstedt Hall, 242, 620 Chestnut Street, Terre Haute, IN 47809. E-mail: [email protected]

Violence and Victims 37(1):p 101-115, February 01, 2022. | DOI: 10.1891/VV-D-20-00134

This study examines homicide clearance rates in the United States using the FBI’s supplementary homicide reports data spanning from 1976 to 2017. The goal of this study is to examine the effects of circumstances in which homicides occurred on homicide clearance rates, and the effects of victim’s race, age, and gender on homicide clearance rates. The analyses are based on 769,753 total homicide cases that were reported to the FBI. The actual data set includes information for 757,801 victims and 513,863 offenders total. The results of this study show that a typical profile of a homicide victim whose case is more likely to remain unsolved is that of a black male between the ages of 21 to 30 who is killed in a juvenile gang-related killing circumstance. By gender, this study shows that the clearance rate for homicide cases involving female victims is 8.4% higher than for male homicide victims.