Abstract:

Rapid response policing not only boosts crime detection but also reduces the time it takes to find the offenders. That is the central finding of analysis of data from the Greater Manchester Police by Jordi Blanes i Vidal and Tom Kirchmaier. Their research examines whether it is worth police officers aiming to get to the scene of a crime as soon as possible after being alerted by a member of the public. They find that faster response times make it more likely that victims or witnesses will name a suspect. In contrast, longer response times reduce the likelihood of crimes being detected, especially thefts and robbery.

This article summarises ‘The Effect of Police Response Time on Crime Detection’ by Jordi Blanes i Vidal and Tom Kirchmaier, CEP Discussion Paper No. 1376