Police response to homicide crime scenesAvdija, Avdi S. (Avtor) Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects that the first responders (police officers and investigators) have on the arrest success rates at homicide crime scenes. It attempts to determine whether or not increasing the number of officers (e.g., first line responders), and investigators responding to a homicide crime scene increases the arrest success rate, which contributes on the overall homicide clearance rates.Design/Methods/Approach:Using archived administrative data that were originally collected by the Phoenix Police Department, and sponsored by the United States Department of Justice, this study analyses 532 investigative reports. The types of cases analysed in this study are homicides crime scenes, which includes homicide victims and survivors. Findings: The findings in this study show that for every additional officer added to the number of police officers responding to the crime scene the arrest success rates increased by 8%, and for every additional investigator added to this first response, the arrest success rates increased by 24%. The number of witnesses and victims present at the crime scene did not have a significant effect on the arrest success rate of homicide cases.Research Limitations/Implications: This study is limited to examining the effects of the number of officers and investigators have on homicide clearance rates. It does not account for the limited departmental resources and their effects on the homicide arrest rates or clearance rates. Also, this study does not include factors that do not solely depend on the police response to homicide crime scenes (i.e., factors that the offenders have control over).VARSTVOSLOVJE,Journal of CriminalJustice and Security,year 21no. 2pp. 101‒114 102Practical Implications: The methods that police use to respond to and investigate homicide cases can determine the outcome of a case. Depending on how the police decide to respond, ultimately increase or decrease the effectiveness of making an arrest or salve a homicide case. An increase in the arrest rate, by definition, results in an increase in the clearance rate of homicide cases. Thus, the study findings touch base on the importance and the role of the number of first line responders and investigators have on homicide arrest success rates. Originality/Value: This is the first study that has examined the effects of first responders on homicide arrest rates. 20192020-04-07 10:38:40Znanstveno delo76016UDK: 343.98OceCobissID: 99492352COBISS_ID: 3788266ISSN pri članku: 1580-0253NUK URN: URN:SI:UM:DK:NJ4YZIBWsl