Prioritizing Investigatory Responses to Gun Violence: Improving Case Clearance for Nonfatal Shootings in Hartford, CT

• In Event: Smart Policing Initiative: Rethinking and Refocusing Police Intelligence and Activities to Enhance Public Safety

Abstract

Empirical evidence suggests that gun homicides are cleared at higher rates than nonfatal shootings because homicide cases benefit from specialized investigators, reduced detective caseloads, and sustained investigative effort that all lead to improved evidence collection, witness interviews, and forensic analysis. Applying these investigative enhancements to nonfatal shootings could also significantly improve case clearance. With support from the BJA SPI grant program, the Hartford Police Department developed a dedicated Shooting Response Team (SRT) in 2021. The SRT is a specialized unit committed solely to response and investigations of nonfatal shooting cases, and the unit has applied enhancements that are common to homicide divisions. Currently in its third year, we will highlight preliminary impact evaluation results and discuss the successes and challenges of the SRT during initial implementation and its ongoing management.

Authors

• Lisa Barao, University of Pennsylvania

• Aaron Boisvert, Hartford Police Department