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<p>The long-term decline in homicide clearance rates has persisted even as homicide levels fluctuate, underscoring the need to better understand the forces that shape investigative outcomes and public engagement with the investigative process. While prior research has emphasized case characteristics, structural conditions, and police resources, less empirical attention has been given to how community members evaluate the fairness of homicide investigations and how these evaluations influence cooperation with law enforcement. Drawing on a community-engaged survey of 482 residents across five Chicago neighborhoods with high levels of firearm violence, this study examines whether perceptions of investigative fairness are associated with willingness to cooperate in homicide investigations. The survey instrument was co-developed with a Survivor Advisory Council of family members of homicide victims and captures perceived fairness across three domains: racial equity, age-based equity, and the treatment of victims perceived as gang-involved versus “innocent.” Using multinomial logistic regression models, we find that perceptions of unequal treatment are consistently associated with reduced willingness to cooperate, including calling the police after witnessing a homicide and providing information about suspects. Perceived racial unfairness emerges as the most robust predictor. These findings extend procedural justice and legal cynicism frameworks into the context of homicide investigations and highlight the role of perceived investigative equity in shaping community cooperation and investigative capacity.</p>

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Perceived Bias in Homicide Investigations and Public Cooperation: Evidence from a Community-Engaged Study in High-Violence Neighborhoods

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月5日

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  • Kathryn Bocanegra,
  • Aaron Gottlieb

摘要

The long-term decline in homicide clearance rates has persisted even as homicide levels fluctuate, underscoring the need to better understand the forces that shape investigative outcomes and public engagement with the investigative process. While prior research has emphasized case characteristics, structural conditions, and police resources, less empirical attention has been given to how community members evaluate the fairness of homicide investigations and how these evaluations influence cooperation with law enforcement. Drawing on a community-engaged survey of 482 residents across five Chicago neighborhoods with high levels of firearm violence, this study examines whether perceptions of investigative fairness are associated with willingness to cooperate in homicide investigations. The survey instrument was co-developed with a Survivor Advisory Council of family members of homicide victims and captures perceived fairness across three domains: racial equity, age-based equity, and the treatment of victims perceived as gang-involved versus “innocent.” Using multinomial logistic regression models, we find that perceptions of unequal treatment are consistently associated with reduced willingness to cooperate, including calling the police after witnessing a homicide and providing information about suspects. Perceived racial unfairness emerges as the most robust predictor. These findings extend procedural justice and legal cynicism frameworks into the context of homicide investigations and highlight the role of perceived investigative equity in shaping community cooperation and investigative capacity.