Detection avoidance and mis/unclassified, unsolved homicides in Australia

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to begin to explore whether and how the use of detection avoidance (DA) by offenders leads to a so called “dark figure” of unsolved homicides that have been mis/unclassified. Design/methodology/approach Australian Coronial data and inquest findings are used to examine how DA impacts on determining homicide, and cases remaining unsolved. Findings Results show DA behaviours perpetrated by offenders may be catalysed by other challenges, and may lead to homicides being mis/unclassified and unsolved. Findings indicate there is a small dark figure of mis/unclassified homicides which eventually become known and investigated as homicides in Australia. The number of unsolved homicides may be greater than official data reveals, due to some cases remaining mis/unclassified. Research limitations/implications Results are likely to underestimate the prevalence of mis/unclassified homicides due to the invisibility of cases and the difficulty establishing rules to include suspected but unproven homicides. The variable nature and impact of DA behaviours also limits results, along with jurisdictional differences in Coronial data. Practical implications This discussion explains DA behaviours impact on determining and investigating homicide and the necessity of future research. Originality/value Mis/unclassified homicides as unsolved homicides have not been discussed previously. This discussion is the first to conceptualise mis/unclassified homicides as a dark figure of unsolved cases, and the first to attempt to gauge the problem.

Operational psychology and cold case investigations in New Zealand

“…The majority of these cases are unresolved homicides, however, approximately 27 cases pertain to long-term missing person matters where foul play/homicide is suspected. Although a cold case is generally defined as a case that is not being actively investigated, or solved within one year [ [19] , [20] , [21] ], unresolved homicides in New Zealand are reviewed every twelve months. Although the review may not result in further investigation of the case due to an absence of new information, the case remains subject to annual analysis and review.…”

Homicide or Suicide: How Nudity Factors into This Determination

“…Deception by family and friends of the deceased happens frequently with offenders in equivocal death cases that are actually homicides (Ferguson & Sutherland, 2018; Pettler, 2016). In a review of misclassified, unsolved homicide cases, the fact the manner of death was equivocal allowed some offenders to avoid detection (Ferguson & McKinley, 2019).…”

At the Interface of Life and Death: Post-mortem and Other Applications of Vaginal, Skin, and Salivary Microbiome Analysis in Forensics

“…Remarkably, only 25% of reported rape cases in Europe lead to a conviction, often due to the difficulty of providing evidence ( Lovett and Kelly, 2009 ). Moreover, forensic experts are convinced that a large number of undetected homicides are misclassified in annual death statistics as natural deaths, suicides, or accidents ( Karger et al, 2004 ; Ferguson and McKinley, 2019 ). The major obstacle is the difficulty of elucidating the circumstances surrounding death, including cause and manner ( Pechal et al, 2018 ; Kaszubinski et al, 2020b ).…”