Purpose

Clearance rates for nonfatal shootings, especially cases involving gang- and drug-related violence, are disturbingly low in many US cities. Using data from a previously completed project in Boston, we explore the prospects for improving gang/drug nonfatal shooting cases by investing the same investigative effort found in similar gang/drug gun murder cases.

Design/methodology/approach

Our analyses primarily focus on a sample of 231 nonfatal shootings that occurred in Boston from 2010 to 2014. Logistic regressions are first used to analyze differences in the likelihood of case clearance for gang/drug nonfatal shooting cases relative to other nonfatal shooting cases. Independent samples t-tests are then used to compare the investigative characteristics of these two different kinds of nonfatal shootings. Next, independent samples t-tests are used to compare the investigation of gang/drug gun assaults relative to the investigation of very similar gang/drug gun homicides.

Findings

Results demonstrate that the odds of clearing gang/drug nonfatal shootings are 77.2% less likely relative to the odds of clearing nonfatal shootings resulting from other circumstances. This stark difference in clearance rates is not driven by diminished investigative effort, but investigative effort does matter. Relative to gang/drug gun assaults, gang/drug gun homicides have much higher clearance rates that are the result of greater investigative resources and effort that produces significantly more witnesses and evidence, and generate more forensic tests and follow-up investigative actions.

Originality/value

Gang- and drug-related violence generates a bulk of urban nonfatal shootings. Low clearance rates for nonfatal shootings undermine police efforts to hold offenders accountable, disrupt cycles of gun violence, and provide justice to victims. Police should make investments to improve investigative effort such as handling these cases with the same vigor as homicide cases.

中文翻译：

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清除涉及帮派和毒品的非致命枪击事件

目的

在美国许多城市，非致命枪击案的清除率，尤其是涉及帮派和毒品相关暴力的案件，令人不安地低。使用之前在波士顿完成的一个项目的数据，我们通过投入与类似帮派/毒枪谋杀案相同的调查工作来探索改善帮派/毒品非致命枪击案的前景。

设计/方法/方法

我们的分析主要集中在 2010 年至 2014 年在波士顿发生的 231 起非致命枪击案的样本。首先使用逻辑回归来分析与其他非致命枪击案相比，帮派/毒品非致命枪击案的案件清除可能性的差异。然后使用独立样本t检验来比较这两种不同类型的非致命枪击事件的调查特征。接下来，使用独立样本t检验来比较对帮派/毒枪袭击的调查与非常相似的帮派/毒枪杀人案的调查。

发现

结果表明，与清除其他情况下的非致命枪击案的几率相比，清除帮派/毒品非致命枪击案的几率要低 77.2%。清除率的这种明显差异并不是由于调查工作减少所致，但调查工作确实很重要。相对于帮派/毒枪袭击，帮派/毒枪凶杀案的清盘率要高得多，这是由于更大的调查资源和努力产生了更多的证人和证据，并产生了更多的法医测试和后续调查行动。

原创性/价值

与帮派和毒品有关的暴力导致了大量的城市非致命枪击事件。非致命枪击事件的低清除率破坏了警方追究犯罪者责任、破坏枪支暴力循环以及为受害者伸张正义的努力。警方应作出投资以改善调查工作，例如以与凶杀案相同的力度处理这些案件。