To effectively manage your time as an analyst, you should consider the solvability of crimes. Unfortunately, we will never "solve" all crimes (find out the perpetrator(s)), and, even more unfortunate, we cannot prevent all crime. That said, don't spend too much of your precious time chasing crime problems that cannot be solved, unless your work leads to better efforts at prevention. Consider solvability factors. Realize that the investigators in your agency will lose respect for you if you produce analytical products for crimes they cannot solve due to a lack of solvability factors. Look at the Problem Solving Tool Guides if you have the kind of crime problem that could be prevented, even though solvability factors are few or non-existent. Then work with community police officers or police managers interested in developing problem-solving responses.
Solvability Factors:
Is there:
-A witness to the crime?
-Knowledge of a suspect’s name?
-Knowledge of where a suspect can be located?
-A description of a suspect?
-Identification of a suspect?
-Property with identifiable characteristics, marks, or numbers that can be
traced?
-Existence of a significant MO?
-Presence of a description which identifies a vehicle used in the crime?
-Positive results from a crime scene / evidence search?
-Belief that a crime may be solved with publicity and/or reasonable
additional investigative effort?
-An opportunity for but one person to have committed the crime?
Covington Police Department Memo on Use of Solvability Factors
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