In July 2004, the Phoenix Police Department transferred four crime scene specialists from its crime lab to the department’s homicide unit. Responsibilities of the crime scene specialists were to collect evidence at homicide scenes, prepare scene reports, develop scene diagrams, and other support activities. The primary objective was to improve homicide clearance rates by increasing investigative time through the addition of the crime scene specialists.
The Phoenix Homicide Clearance Project is described in a series of four documents:
An Executive Summary of the evaluation, available here.
Volume I: Evaluation of the Phoenix Homicide Clearance Project, available here.
Volume II: Research Analysis of the Phoenix Homicide Clearance Project, available here.
Volume III: Forensic Evidence at Murder Trials in Phoenix, Arizona, available here.
