The First 48 - wikipedia The First 48 The First 48 Genre Documentary Narrated by Dion Graham Country of origin United States Original language ( s ) English No. of seasons 16 No. of episodes 346 ( list of episodes ) Production Executive producer ( s ) John X. Kim Alexis Robie Laura Fleury Peter Tarshis Running time 42 minutes Production company ( s ) ITV Studios America Release Original network A&E Picture format 480i ( SDTV ) 1080i ( HDTV ) Original release June 3, 2004 ( 2004 - 06 - 03 ) -- present Chronology Related shows After the First 48 The First 48 : Missing Persons The Killer Speaks External links Website www.aetv.com/the_first_48/ The First 48 is an American documentary television series on A&E. Filmed in various cities in the United States, the series offers an insider 's look at the real - life world of homicide investigators. While the series often follows the investigations to their end, it usually focuses on their first 48 hours, thus the title. Each episode picks one or more homicides in different cities, covering each alternately, showing how detectives use forensic evidence, witness interviews and other advanced detective skills to identify suspects. While most cases are solved within the first 48 hours, some go on days, weeks, months, or even years after the first 48. The series was nominated for a Distinguished Documentary Achievement Award in the Continuing Series category by the International Documentary Association, eventually losing out to American Experience. By season 6, The First 48 had become the highest rated non-fiction justice series on television, and had gained critical acclaim along with controversy. The season 8 premiere, `` Gone '', which aired on January 1, 2009, garnered a domestic audience of 2.3 million viewers which made it the series ' most watched episode, at the time. Contents 1 Title sequence 2 Episodes 2.1 Spin - offs 3 Reception 4 Controversy 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Title sequence Until the middle of the 12th season, the opening title sequence featured the conceptual statement `` For homicide detectives, the clock starts ticking the moment they are called. Their chance of solving a murder is cut in half if they do n't get a lead within the first 48 hours. '' The original soundtrack, opening title theme and dark ambient sound design for the overall program were composed by Chuck Hammer ( 2004 -- 2006 ). Later composers included Brian and Justin Deming ( 2006 -- 2008 ) and Paul Brill ( 2008 -- 2015 ), who continued with a combination of dark ambient music integrated with sound design. Episodes Main article : List of The First 48 episodes Season Episodes Originally aired First aired Last aired 13 June 3, 2004 ( 2004 - 06 - 03 ) November 18, 2004 ( 2004 - 11 - 18 ) 13 January 6, 2005 ( 2005 - 01 - 06 ) August 11, 2005 ( 2005 - 08 - 11 ) 12 October 6, 2005 ( 2005 - 10 - 06 ) March 2, 2006 ( 2006 - 03 - 02 ) 19 June 15, 2006 ( 2006 - 06 - 15 ) December 28, 2006 ( 2006 - 12 - 28 ) 5 13 January 11, 2007 ( 2007 - 01 - 11 ) May 31, 2007 ( 2007 - 05 - 31 ) 6 18 June 21, 2007 ( 2007 - 06 - 21 ) December 6, 2007 ( 2007 - 12 - 06 ) 7 26 January 10, 2008 ( 2008 - 01 - 10 ) September 11, 2008 ( 2008 - 09 - 11 ) 8 16 September 18, 2008 ( 2008 - 09 - 18 ) April 23, 2009 ( 2009 - 04 - 23 ) 9 11 June 18, 2009 ( 2009 - 06 - 18 ) September 17, 2009 ( 2009 - 09 - 17 ) 10 16 January 14, 2010 ( 2010 - 01 - 14 ) June 10, 2010 ( 2010 - 06 - 10 ) 11 36 July 8, 2010 ( 2010 - 07 - 08 ) June 9, 2011 ( 2011 - 06 - 09 ) 12 43 June 16, 2011 ( 2011 - 06 - 16 ) December 20, 2012 ( 2012 - 12 - 20 ) 13 36 March 7, 2013 ( 2013 - 03 - 07 ) May 29, 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 29 ) 14 24 June 19, 2014 ( 2014 - 06 - 19 ) May 21, 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 21 ) 15 30 November 5, 2015 ( 2015 - 11 - 05 ) September 5, 2016 ( 2016 - 09 - 05 ) 16 TBD December 1, 2016 ( 2016 - 12 - 01 ) ( ) Spin - offs The series has several follow - up episodes entitled After the First 48 -- detailing the trials of those accused in previous episodes -- and the aftermath of victims ' survivors. The First 48 : Missing Persons follows the same story format as the original series. The latest spin - off, The Killer Speaks, depicts convicted felons as they describe their crimes through their first - hand accounts. Reception In 2016, a New York Times study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found that The First 48 `` has a classic Black Belt audience pattern ''. Controversy On November 18, 2009, 21 - year - old Taiwan Smart was charged with two counts of second - degree murder of his two roommates in Miami 's Little Haiti neighborhood. His story aired later as an episode titled `` Inside Job. '' Evidence later established that police made important mistakes in their investigation. Additionally, The First 48 misrepresented a key witness 's statement on the program. Smart was released in June 2011 and has since sued the city of Miami for false imprisonment. The episode continues to air without correction. On May 16, 2010, a 7 - year - old Detroit girl named Aiyana Jones was shot and killed during a `` special weapons and tactics '' ( SWAT ) raid that was filmed by The First 48 cameras. Detroit SWAT unit raided the duplex while searching for a homicide suspect. On October 5, 2011, prosecutors charged the Detroit police officer with the involuntary manslaughter of Jones. Allison Howard, an A&E Television Network camera operator filming that night, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice after lying under oath. She pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to two years of probation. The show 's unprecedented access to police departments has generated some controversy because such access is not typically given to traditional local news media. Moreover, the show has been criticized for putting witnesses in danger by revealing their faces and their voices on a nationally televised program and for not being sensitive to what might happen to them in the form of retaliation. In response to such criticism, witnesses often ask producers to have their faces blurred out and voices changed or to speak off camera. See also The First 48 : Missing Persons After the First 48 The Killer Speaks The Critical Hour References Jump up ^ `` Breaking News - A&E Real Life Series - the First 48 & Swat Return for Sixth and Third Seasons Respectively ''. TheFutonCritic.com. June 27, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Breaking News - A&E Kicked Off the New Year with the Record Breaking Season Premiere of ' The First 48 ' ''. TheFutonCritic.com. January 5, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2013. Jump up ^ Katz, Josh ( 2016 - 12 - 27 ). `` ' Duck Dynasty ' vs. ' Modern Family ' : 50 Maps of the U.S. Cultural Divide ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` The First 48 Makes Millions Off Imprisoning Innocents ''. Miami New Times. January 16, 2014. Jump up ^ `` The First 48 Makes Millions Off Imprisoning Innocents ''. Miami New Times. January 16, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Lawyer questions police version of raid that killed girl ''. CNN. May 17, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Nightcap - A Different Kind of News ''. The33tv.com. Retrieved November 6, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Allison Howard, ' The First 48 ' Videographer, Pleads In Fatal Detroit Raid That Killed Aiyana - Stanley Jones ''. Huffingtonpost.com. June 21, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013. External links Official website The First 48 on IMDb The First 48 at TV.com A&E original programming Former 1980s debuts An Evening at the Improv ( 1982 -- 96 ) Caroline 's Comedy Hour ( 1989 -- 95 ) 1990s debuts Agatha Christie 's Poirot ( 1990 -- 2004 ) America 's Castles ( 1998 -- 2005 ) American Justice ( 1992 -- 2005 ) Ancient Mysteries ( 1994 -- 98 ) Breakfast with the Arts ( 1991 -- 2007 ) City Confidential ( 1998 -- 2005 ) Cold Case Files ( 1999 -- 2008 ) Live by Request ( 1996 -- 2004 ) Mysteries of the Bible ( 1994 -- 98 ) 2000s debuts 100 Centre Street ( 2001 -- 02 ) Airline ( 2004 -- 05 ) The Andromeda Strain ( 2008 ) Bearing Witness ( 2005 ) The Beast ( 2009 -- 10 ) Big Spender ( 2006 ) Billy the Exterminator ( 2009 -- 12 ) The Cleaner ( 2008 -- 09 ) Committed ( 2004 -- 05 ) Confessions of a Matchmaker ( 2007 -- 08 ) Crime 360 ( 2008 -- 09 ) Criss Angel Mindfreak ( 2005 -- 10 ) Dallas SWAT / Detroit SWAT ( 2006 -- 07 ) Dog the Bounty Hunter ( 2004 -- 12 ) Driving Force ( 2006 -- 07 ) Family Plots ( 2004 -- 05 ) Fatherhood ( 2005 -- 06 ) Flip This House ( 2005 -- 09 ) Gene Simmons Family Jewels ( 2006 -- 12 ) God or the Girl ( 2006 ) Hoarders ( 2009 -- 13 ) Inked ( 2005 -- 06 ) The Jacksons : A Family Dynasty ( 2009 -- 10 ) King of Cars ( 2006 -- 07 ) Manhunters : Fugitive Task Force ( 2008 ) Move This House ( 2005 -- 07 ) A Nero Wolfe Mystery ( 2001 -- 02 ) Obsessed ( 2009 -- 10 ) Paranormal State ( 2007 -- 11 ) Parking Wars ( 2008 -- 12 ) Private Sessions ( 2007 -- 11 ) Psychic Kids ( 2008 -- 10 ) Rollergirls ( 2006 ) Rookies ( 2008 -- 09 ) Sell This House ( 2003 -- 11 ) Sons of Hollywood ( 2007 ) Steven Seagal : Lawman ( 2009 -- 10 ) Tattoo Highway ( 2009 ) The Two Coreys ( 2007 -- 08 ) We Mean Business ( 2008 ) 2010s debuts 8 Minutes ( 2015 ) American Hoggers ( 2011 -- 13 ) Bad Ink ( 2013 -- 14 ) Barry 'd Treasure ( 2014 ) Barter Kings ( 2012 -- 13 ) Bates Motel ( 2013 -- 17 ) Be the Boss ( 2012 ) Beyond Scared Straight ( since 2011 ) Brandi & Jarrod : Married to the Job ( 2014 ) Breakout Kings ( 2011 -- 12 ) Cajun Justice ( 2012 ) Coma ( 2012 ) Country Bucks ( 2014 -- 15 ) Damien ( 2016 ) Duck Dynasty ( 2012 -- 2017 ) The First 48 : Missing Persons ( 2011 -- 13 ) Flipped Off ( 2012 ) Flipping Vegas ( 2011 -- 14 ) The Glades ( 2010 -- 13 ) The Governor 's Wife ( 2013 ) Growing Up Twisted ( 2010 ) Heavy ( 2011 ) The Killer Speaks ( 2013 ) Kirstie Alley 's Big Life ( 2010 ) Longmire ( 2012 -- 14 ) Modern Dads ( 2013 ) Panic 911 ( 2012 -- 13 ) Paranormal Cops ( 2010 ) Relapse ( 2011 ) The Returned ( 2015 ) Southie Rules ( 2013 ) Storage Wars : New York ( 2013 -- 14 ) Storage Wars : Texas ( 2011 -- 14 ) Teach : Tony Danza ( 2010 ) Those Who Kill ( 2014 ) Unforgettable ( 2015 - 16 ) Current Akil the Fugitive Hunter ( since 2017 ) Behind Bars : Rookie Year ( since 2015 ) Big Smo ( since 2014 ) Billy the Exterminator ( since 2009 ) Donnie Loves Jenny ( since 2015 ) The First 48 ( since 2004 ) The Frankenstein Chronicles ( since 2016 ) The Killing Season ( since 2016 ) Lachey 's Bar ( since 2015 ) Live PD ( since 2016 ) Shipping Wars ( since 2012 ) Storage Wars ( since 2010 ) Storage Wars : Miami ( since 2015 ) 60 Days In ( since 2016 ) Going Si - Ral ( since 2016 ) Wahlburgers ( since 2014 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_First_48&oldid=816170863 '' Categories : 2000s American television series 2010s American television series 2004 American television series debuts Documentary television series about policing A&E ( TV channel ) shows American reality television series English - language television programs Television series by ITV Studios Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 19 December 2017, at 19 : 01. 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Question: when does the new season of the first 48 start
Answer: December 1, 2016