Private Investigators and Cold Cases
Editor’s note: This article was written by Carie McMichael of Lauth Investigations International. The opinions expressed here belong to Carie McMichael.
When we hear the phrase “cold case,” we immediately think of television—police dramas and procedurals that capitalize on the challenge of approaching a cold case with a new set of eyes and unearthing fresh leads that culminate in a contrived solution. In reality, cold cases are far more diverse and complicated than the small screen makes them seem.
Conversations and associations with cold cases usually orbit around unsolved homicides—but other egregious crimes, such as sexual assault, kidnappings, and missing persons also go cold. Regardless of the case type, they all freeze over for similar reasons. For example, a lack of evidence or witnesses to generate reliable leads stop cases in their tracks. A study conducted by the RAND corporation in 2011 estimated that only 20% of law enforcement agencies in the United States have an established procedure for handling cold cases—only 7% have a dedicated cold case unit. As a result, cases have a tendency to pile up. Cases halt due to not be enough detectives to meet demand or a lack of resources that contribute to the detriment …read more
Source:: Private Invest
