DC Index Violent Crime categories and non-fatal shootings
To be posted online in compliance with DC Code 5-113.01:
(1B) Quarterly, the case closure rates for:
(A) Violent crimes, by offense, committed with or without the use of a weapon; and
(B) Non-fatal shootings.
| Offense | Clearance Rates 1/1/23 - 9/30/23 | Clearance Rates 1/1/23 – 12/31/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 41% | 52% |
| Gun | 48% | |
| Knife | 80% | |
| Other/None | 72% | |
| Sex Abuse | 74% | 70% |
| Gun | 42% | |
| Knife | 38% | |
| Other/None | 73% | |
| Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | 45% | 51% |
| Gun | 37% | |
| Knife | 74% | |
| Other/None | 76% | |
| Robbery | 25% | 27% |
| Gun | 26% | |
| Knife | 26% | |
| Other/None | 30% | |
| Non-Fatal Shootings | 22% | 26% |
*Clearance rates broken down by type of weapon have been added as of Calendar Year 2023
A Note on Closure Rates and General Statistics
The Metropolitan Police Department’s clearance rates are calculated according to national standards using the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) guidelines established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the 1930s.
Calculation of Clearance Rates According to UCR Guidelines
Under UCR guidelines, the clearance rate is calculated by dividing the total number of cases closed in a calendar year by the total number of cases that occurred in that year. The cases closed can be for those that occurred in the current year or in the prior years.
Note on the Non-Fatal Shooting Category
Cases included in this category are a subset of the homicide, assault with a dangerous weapon (ADW), and robbery cases in which a person was shot but survived. Not all ADWs or robberies involve a person being shot and some homicide events involve secondary, surviving victims. The general ADW and robbery clearance rates include all cases classified as such, whereas the number of non-fatal shootings is a smaller subset. A closed homicide, ADW, or robbery involving a non-fatal shooting would be counted as part of both the general clearance rate and in the non-fatal shooting rate.
Weapons
Cases involving a gun or knife/cutting instrument are delineated as such. Cases involving any other weapon (such as a blunt object) as well as cases committed without the use of a weapon are categorized as ‘Others’. Cases involving a gun can include both those where the victim was shot as well as cases where a gun was pointed or brandished but not fired. Therefore, the ADW Gun and non-fatal shootings categories are not the same. Similarly, not every crime committed with the use of a knife results in an injury to the victim.
UCR Closure Criteria
Criminal offenses can be cleared, or “closed,” in one of two ways: either by arrest or by exceptional means. To clear an offense within the UCR Program’s guidelines, the agency must adhere to specific criteria.
Cleared by Arrest
In the UCR Program, a law enforcement agency reports that an offense is cleared by arrest, or solved for crime reporting purposes, when three specific conditions have been met: at least one person has been (i) arrested; (ii) charged with the commission of the offense; and (iii) turned over to the court for prosecution.
Cleared by Exceptional Means
In certain situations, elements beyond law enforcement’s control prevent the agency from arresting and formally charging the offender. When this occurs, the offense can be cleared exceptionally. Law enforcement agencies must meet the following four conditions in order to clear an offense by exceptional means. The agency must have: (i) identified the offender; (ii) gathered enough evidence to support an arrest, charge, and prosecution; (iii) identified the offender’s location; and (iv) encountered a circumstance outside the control of law enforcement that prohibits the agency from arresting, charging, and prosecuting the offender. One example would be the death of the offender, such as a murder-suicide, where the offender was known to have committed a murder and subsequently committed suicide before being charged and prosecuted. Another example would be a case where the offender is incarcerated in another jurisdiction.