Dr. Ernest Evans: KCPD Numbers Explain Homicide Crisis Trending

It's not enough to report the tragic homicide numbers KCMO currently endures, thanks to the help of our reader community and Dr. Ernest Evans . . . We can work toward UNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS of raw data.  

Accordingly and with respect to one of the top criminologists working in the metro . . . 

KCPD NUMBERS EXPOSE DANGEROUS TREND: CLEARANCE DOWN, CRIMINALS MAY NO LONGER FEAR CONSEQUENCES AS VICIOUS CYCLE SPIKES MORE KILLING!!!

That our understanding but, as always, here at TKC we rely on expert analysis to offer more insight . . .

Dr. Ernest Evans: KCPD Personnel Levels

"The KCPD has just issued its annual report.  The strength of the Department at the end of 2022 was 1142 officers—down from 1363 at the end of calendar year 2019.  From the figures I have seen it is continuing to decline in numbers in the first six months of 2023.  With the Department so seriously understrength it is hardly surprising that the clearance rate for homicides is going down—there simply are not enough officers to adequately investigate these cases.  Experts on crime have long noted that probability of punishment is a more effective deterrent  than severity of punishment—so when the clearance rate for homicides begins to fall homicides are going to go up.  It is not surprising that Chicago is the "Murder Capital of America"--the city has only a clearance rate of 20% for its homicides.  So, it is not surprising that the homicide rate is going up in KCMO."

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Developing . . .