The Effects of RTCCs and Police Technologies on Judicial Outcomes of Shooting Investigations

• In Event: Technological Advancements and Intelligence in Modern-Day Policing

Abstract

Continued advancements in law enforcement technologies may help fill persistent solvability gaps that result in low clearance rates for fatal and nonfatal shootings. A previous study of the Hartford (CT) Police Department’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) indicated that gun homicides and nonfatal shooting cases were significantly more likely to be solved when the RTCC located relevant video evidence. However, research is lacking to examine whether and how these RTCC activities affect court outcomes. Using a mixed methods approach, this study examines a sample of solved gun homicides and nonfatal shooting cases occurring in Hartford from 2022-2023 (n=110) and assesses the role of RTCC activities and digital evidence in prosecutorial and judicial case outcomes.

Authors

• Lisa Barao, University of Pennsylvania

• Chris Mastroianni, Hartford Police Department