A great piece about unsolved murder by Rocco Paranscandola was in Newsday on January 10th. Of course I immediately wrote a letter to the editor explaining the rate at which murders are cleared over time, and how that changes clearance rates.

The police department also told Newsday that in the late 1990’s their clearance rates went as high as 90% and that is simply not true. Although I checked and they did have their best year in 1998 (in recent NYPD history), when it was 70.8% (not 92.5%, as claimed). Again, this is not a reflection of the NYPD. This is a national trend and when you look at the national trend for big cities, New York is doing a little better then most.

Fred Martens, the former head of the Pennsylvania Crime Commission, who helped me when I was working on the Sodder story, is a member a crime solving organization called The Vidocq Society, (named for an 18th century french detective).

From their website:

Our Mission & Credo
The Vidocq Society is dedicated to dealing with long-unsolved murders and other major cases. The Vidocq credo is Veritas Veritatum – The Truth of Truths. The Vidocq Society’s 82 members (one for every year of Inspector Vidocq’s life) come from 17 states and 11 other countries.

Members bring a broad array of forensic and other experience. The Society chooses its cases carefully, working closely with local investigators and prosecutors to help solve a death or homicide and bring perpetrators to justice. All work is done at no cost to victim’s families or law enforcement, pro bono as part of the Society’s commitment to public service.

I’m adding The Vidocq Society to my links section and my list of Cold Case Squad and other organizations.

Clearance rates don’t change all that much, but it’s interesting that when the homicide rate in New York was at it’s highest, the NYPD was also solving the highest precentage of murders. (1990 was the peak for murder in New York. The murder rate started going down after that.)

And now that the murder rate is so impressively down, so is the clearance rate. I have some theories about this, but it would make a good doctoral thesis for someone at John Jay, I think.

1970’s – The percentage of murders that went unsolved in New York is 37.6%.
1980’s – The percentage of murders that went unsolved in New York is 31.2%.
1990’s – The percentage of murders that went unsolved in New York is 35.2%.
2000’s – The percentage of murders that went unsolved in New York is 40.2%.*

*So far.

The homicide total for New York in 2005 is 540. It could change as other deaths last year are investigated, but aside from the 540 deaths that represents, that’s a good number. Last year it was 572.

Congratulations New York, for killing each other a little less. Thank you to everyone who made this possible, the NYPD and all the community groups and organizations and individuals who strove to make life better and people less murderous.

Goodbye, 2005. Rest in peace, 540.

UPDATE: I just heard a rumor that we’ve had four homicides already in 2006.