Good afternoon, [Senator Stephanie] Chairwoman Chang and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of the Violent Crime Clearance Act and why improving clearance rates across Michigan helps all Michiganders.
My name is Helen Weston, and I am here representing the Niskanen Center, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. The Niskanen Center advances an evidence-based criminal justice policy agenda to reduce the costs of crime and punishment. Our priority is to deter crime, reduce violence, and thereby reduce levels of incarceration. We seek to accomplish this by building effective systems that deliver proportional punishment swiftly and predictably, and by ensuring law enforcement has the capacity to keep our neighborhoods safe.
Despite fluctuations in crime, violent crime clearance rates have fallen consistently in the United States since the 1960s. Like most states, Michigan is no exception to this trend. In 2023, Michigan solved only about 40 percent of violent crime cases. A violent crime clearance rate of 40 percent means that if I were to commit a violent crime, there’s a 60 percent chance I would get away with it. Should I be the victim of that crime, there would be a 40 percent chance that I would be denied the justice that I deserve.
Low clearance rates reduce the cost of choosing to commit a violent crime in Michigan. The most important variable in crime deterrence is the perceived probability of punishment among would-be offenders. Those who believe they’ll be caught don’t commit crimes; those who think they’ll get away with it, do.
Allowing violent crimes to go unsolved sends a signal to criminals that they have a good chance of getting away with it. The result is more violence. By contrast, solving more crimes sends the opposite message: commit a violent crime in Michigan at your own risk. The result is safer streets across the Great Lakes State.
It’s important to note that low clearance rates do not reflect poorly on law enforcement, who do everything in their power to bring violent criminals to justice. However, police departments — both urban and rural — are today faced with numerous challenges that have strained law enforcement capacity across the board, including the ability to investigate and solve crimes.
Despite these challenges, law enforcement continues to work tirelessly to clear every offense committed in their communities.
For improvements to be sustainable, especially if crime rates rise in the future, we must ensure that the resources available to law enforcement match the importance and urgency of their work. Evidence suggests that resources are critical in solving cases, particularly those that would otherwise go unsolved. In particular, the evidence supports investments aimed at:
- hiring, training, and retaining homicide detectives, violent crime investigators, and nonsworn crime analysts
- acquiring and upgrading forensic and investigative technology and equipment
- supporting victims, their families, and witnesses with things like funeral services, crime scene clean up, relocation expenses, lost wage assistance, etc., to encourage cooperation with law enforcement during investigations
The Violent Crime Clearance Act will provide law enforcement agencies in Michigan with additional resources to help them improve their ability to solve violent crimes. These resources will go to police departments of all sizes in both urban and rural jurisdictions throughout the state. The bill will also support more robust data collection and reporting on clearance rates. Finally, it requires an evaluation of policies and procedures to identify best practices that can be replicated and scaled across Michigan.
Today, when a violent individual victimizes someone in Michigan, they have a decent chance of getting away with it. The solution lies in improving law enforcement’s ability to identify, apprehend, and prosecute violent criminals, which will require a robust and sustained commitment to ensure that investigations are adequately resourced.
Solving violent crimes is not just about accountability. It’s the best way to fight violent crime. The Violent Crime Clearance Act reflects an evidence-based approach to crime reduction and will help make Michigan safer. The Niskanen Center looks forward to continuing to work with this committee to get this important piece of legislation to the Governor’s desk. Thank you for your time.
