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Resources, Solvability and Detection: A Theoretical Model

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Crime Solvability Factors

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Abstract

The aims of this chapter are to draw on the findings of the substantive chapters to consolidate and develop an understanding of crime solvability and the theoretical underpinnings of the relationships between solvability, resources and detections. The geographical variation in incident solvability, resources and detection outcomes and their origins in jurisdictional crime profiles, varied offender populations and environmental circumstances are examined. The issues of identifying which ‘resource input–evidence output’ activities should be used to investigate different subsets of cases and the importance of strength and numbers of evidence items in solving cases are considered. The importance of lower, middle and higher solvability thresholds for allocating jurisdictional resources and for cost-effective investigative strategies are outlined, and the role of incident solvability in properly appreciating the relationship between crime demand and officer supply is highlighted. Finally, key facets are summarised in a resource–solvability model of crime detection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, UK

    Richard Timothy Coupe

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  1. Richard Timothy Coupe
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Correspondence to Richard Timothy Coupe .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Richard Timothy Coupe

  2. Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Barak Ariel

  3. Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Katrin Mueller-Johnson

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Coupe, R.T. (2019). Resources, Solvability and Detection: A Theoretical Model. In: Coupe, R., Ariel, B., Mueller-Johnson, K. (eds) Crime Solvability Factors. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17160-5_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17160-5_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-17159-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-17160-5

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