Murder rate way down, unsolved murder rate way up*

As unbelievable as Hadiya Pendleton’s ruthless murder, less than a mile from President Obama’s home in Chicago, is the reality that only 66% of those who murder are ever brought to justice. Pendleton’s murderer continues to remains at-large.

Marred by the mass-shootings of 2012 was America’s statistical achievement of seeing the lowest murder rate in the past 50 years. Hidden by the smoke of the gun debate is the disturbing reality that unsolved murders are nearing an all-time high.

Pendleton was murdered a mile from Pres Obama's home.

In 2011, according to the US Department of Justice, the murder rate was 4.8 per 100,000 people, which is contrasted to the 1980 high-water-mark of 10.2 per 100,000. It is estimated that after non-culpable homicide cases for 2012 are wound-up, the statistic will be around 4.6 – the rate hit back in 1963.

When graphed on a chart, the national murder rate looks like a bell-curve, with murders steadily increasing from 1960 to 1980 and then decreasing ever since. The lowest murder rate during the past 100-years was in 1957 – there were 4.0 per 100,000. If society does nothing, the projection is such that the US will near the 4.0 mark in a few years.

Vice President Joe Biden, outlined nine proposals for reducing homicides, which include: requiring background checks for all gun sales, banning assault weapons, limiting ammunition magazines to ten rounds, providing tax dollars for gun violence research, school emergency preparedness, and mental health coverage. Each recommendation noted that ‘no single law, or even a set of laws, can prevent an act of violence.’ Yet none focus on apprehending perpetrators.

The US has serious problems, for example, from 2011 to 2012 murders in Chicago increased by 38% to a devastating 506. Pendleton’s murder marks number 42 for 2013. By contrast, 418 people were murdered in New York City last year and seven so far have been murdered in 2013.

According to the UNODC, every US Territory, over the past decade, has seen a general increase in murders. Puerto Rico has the highest murder rate at 26.2 per 100,000 people. A record breaking 1,136 murders occurred in 2011 alone. Yet, Puerto Rico boasts twice as many police officers per capita as any US state.

Shockingly, only 25% of the murders in Puerto Rico result in the police apprehending the culprit. This was the case in New Orleans in 2010. Last year, homicide investigators improved this number to 39%, and were able to reduce murders by 3%. It is unfathomable that over half of the 193 murders during 2012 resulted in an accused being brought before the courts.

From 1980 to 2008 nearly 185,000 homicides went unsolved in the US, according to a Scripps Howard News Service study. Some cities, like New Orleans, have low murder clearance rates. Meaning the police were able to present the court with an accused. Others, like Washington, DC, have nearly doubled their success rate to a laudable 96%. Nearly 6,000 homicides go unsolved every year in the US. A national average of 66% is unacceptable.

While the Biden working group and the emotions of the nation cling to media images of recent shootings, a larger problem is law enforcement’s inability to bring more suspects before the courts.

If America truly cares about justice for victims’ families, society needs to invest resources to bring perpetrators to justice. Sophisticated investigating techniques and the quashing of minor criminal offences that are working in Washington, DC and New York City should be used to help municipalities like Chicago and New Orleans and territories like Puerto Rico.

When does society begin the conversation of addressing low murder clearance rates? Society needs to move beyond looking at the sensationalizing effect of recent mass shootings and see the big picture.

The US murder rate is at a 50 year low and dropping, despite recent outliers in the data. Concern, which should be sounding alarms, is the low national average of solving these murders.

To quote former President Bill Clinton, “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” The US has the knowledge and the resources to better solve homicides; there is void of political will power. It is time to implement successful techniques to bring murderers to justice.

If society truly cares about tackling murders, the debate needs to be about unsolved crimes, supporting local law enforcement, and not about the implementation devices (eg guns) used to commit the offence. 
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*M Soper, Murder rate way down, unsolved murder rate way up, OpEd, Western Slope Watchdog 17 February 2013: 4+ <http://westernslopewatchdog.com/2013/02/murder-rate-way-down-but-unsolved-murders-way-up/> accessed 18 February 2013

Common sense: a new approach for society?

A wise person is made, not born. So then, what are the virtues of a wise person? King Solomon (c 1011-931 BC) described a wise person as one who is clever and has a discerning mind to judge the difference between a right and wrong decision. A wise person learns from wise teachers. Wisdom depends on experience and not just any experience: you need the time to get to know the people you are serving; permission to be allowed to improvise; the ability to try new things; and the ability to learn from failures. Without wisdom, brilliance is not enough.

The education system in Chicago is structured such that every teacher must be on the same page of the curricula, on the same day and instructions are given as to what teachers are to say and which questions to avoid. Such a system is an insurance policy against complete failure, but stifles wisdom, lacks virtue and doesn’t instil character into students. This is why when legislators say students need to focus on reading, writing and maths, then science, history and the arts get swept under the rug and the US stands astonished that European students who attain a proper well-rounded education surpass the American students on exams and performance.

The cutting edge in America has been creativity and the ability to make dreams happen to not collapse when the antagonists say nay. This entrepreneurial spirit is what creates the American Dream. Barry Schwartz mentions two tools society uses when rules fail: (i) more rules and (ii) change the incentives. Neither of which tap: virtue, morality, character or common sense. When one class fails, the rules are tightened, the curriculum becomes more rigid and the pay structure reflects not wavering from the prescribed text. Pretty soon the mould is cast and to think outside the box is undesirable. It is no surprise that with limited science and foreign language classes in formative years, few American students pursue careers in those directions. An over focus on reading and writing has not produced great readers or authors, but college drop-outs who never acquired a virtuous passion for learning. This is where rules and incentives have failed.

The solution is to provide students early on with as wide a range of learning categories as possible and empower teachers to use their wisdom to inspire students to engage in subjects which fits their interest and aptitude. A child may hate reading, until s/he discovers a book on NASA, outer-space and rockets. Without question certain subjects must be taught and within those there are important texts which are of the utmost importance to be learnt. The American elementary curricula should not be so rigid as to not allow giving students the incentive to want to learn or not allowing a teacher go into more depth when doing so is only for the benefit of the students. A little more common sense would be appropriate in a society driven by more rules and traditional incentives.