Motivations, money and modern policing: accounting for cold case reviews in an age of austerity

Abstract

Over the past two decades 'cold case review conferences' have become an established component of how police forces respond to long-term unsolved major crimes. This article examines the place of cold case major crime reviews in UK policing in an age of austerity. In particular, it focuses on examining how police justify expending resource on these reviews, considering why particular motivations have been advanced and in turn what these reveal about modern policing. Informed by empirical data collected during an eight-month ethnographic study of a Major Crime Review Team and interviews with key actors involved in managing and conducting cold case reviews, the article suggests a typology of motives used to justify the continued investment in reviewing historic unsolved major crimes. The discussion concludes by considering what these motivations and their invocation reveal about the current policing practice.

The media as an investigative resource: reflections from English cold-case units

“…Such cases are referred to as 'cold cases', which has become common parlance across England and Wales and the US (Allsop, 2013(Allsop, , 2018Innes & Clarke, 2009;Walton, 2006Walton, , 2013. Once a homicide is reported to the police it is subject to a thorough investigation, with all investigative leads identified and pursued, with the intent of securing a resolution (Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002;Innes & Clarke, 2009;Smythe, 2009;Turner & Kosa, 2003;Walton, 2006Walton, , 2013. In England and Wales, all homicides are subject to periodic reviews whilst the case is active, and these reviews occur at 7-, 28-, and 56-days.…”

“…Yet, not all cases result in the identification, arrest or prosecution of the offender(s). Such cases are referred to as "cold cases", which has become common parlance across England and Wales and the USA (Allsop, 2013(Allsop, , 2018Innes and Clarke, 2009;Walton, 2006Walton, , 2013. Once a homicide is reported to the police it is subject to a thorough investigation, with all investigative leads identified and pursued, with the intent of securing a resolution (Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002;Innes and Clarke, 2009;Smythe, 2009;Turner and Kosa, 2003;Walton, 2006Walton, , 2013.…”

“…The purpose of the reviews is to ensure best practice has been followed, all lines of inquiry have been pursued and conducted appropriately, and there have been no missed opportunities (Nicol et al, 2003). However, once two years have passed since the homicide occurred, with no resolution, the case undergoes a final, or "closing review", accompanied by a closing report (Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO] [1], 2012; Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002). In this review, the senior investigating officer (SIO) assigned to the case determines that there is no possible way, at this time, that the case can be progressed, without obtaining new information, which is typically new evidence or witnesses (Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO], 2012;Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002;Innes and Clarke, 2009).…”

“…However, once two years have passed since the homicide occurred, with no resolution, the case undergoes a final, or "closing review", accompanied by a closing report (Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO] [1], 2012; Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002). In this review, the senior investigating officer (SIO) assigned to the case determines that there is no possible way, at this time, that the case can be progressed, without obtaining new information, which is typically new evidence or witnesses (Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO], 2012;Allsop, 2013;Gaylor, 2002;Innes and Clarke, 2009). The case is then passed to the responsibility of the cold-case team.…”

“…Cold-case homicides pose a unique challenge for investigations and are inherently difficult because of the passage of time, possible loss of forensic exhibits and a lack of resources available to investigative them (Allsop, 2018;Walton, 2006). Further, Allsop (2013) highlights how austerity measures across England and Wales are affecting the amount of resources that can be assigned to cold cases. This is still a concern today with the rising crime rates and declining officer numbers across the country (Home Office, 2019).…”