DOI: 10.3886/icpsr36202.v1
title: Forensic Evidence in Homicide Investigations, Cleveland, Ohio, 2008-2011
title: Version 1

description: These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.
The objective of this study was to determine how homicide investigators use evidence during the course of their investigations. Data on 294 homicide cases (315 victims) that occurred in Cleveland between 2008 and 2011 was collected from investigative reports, forensic analysis reports, prosecutors and homicide investigators, provided by the Cleveland Ohio Police Department, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, and Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts.
The study collection includes 1 Stata data file (NIJ_Cleveland_Homicides.dta, n=294, 109 variables).
description: The overarching objective of this project was to determine how homicide investigators use evidence during the course of their investigations.
description: The Cleveland, Ohio Police Department (CPD) provided access to investigative reports and forensic analysis reports, as well as access to homicide investigators to discuss their assigned cases. In addition, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office participated in the project by providing detailed forensic analysis reports on selected homicides. Prosecutorial case outcomes from the online Case Records Search System maintained by the Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts were also utilized. 
Investigative case files from the CPD included information on victims and offenders along with details on investigations. Each case file detailed evidence collected at the scene and from other locations during the course of an investigation. Early in the data collection effort at the CPD, it was determined that many investigative files were missing trace and DNA analysis report from the medical examiner's office and with his cooperation the police department's homicide case folders were made more complete and provided detailed information on forensic results for the study.
description: Data file NIJ_Cleveland_Homicides.sav (n=294) contains 107 variables divided into 6 categories: victim demographics, offender information and prosecutorial outcome, types of evidence collected, such as: number of swabs, latent prints and analysis, number of weapons from the scene, DNA analysis, and weapons analysis.
description: Datasets: 
					
						DS1: Dataset
description: record abstracts
description: Homicide investigation cases that occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, between 2008 and 2011, as well as homicide investigators and prosecutors connected to some of these cases.
				   		Smallest Geographic Unit: Census tract
description: 294 homicide cases (315 victims) that occurred in Cleveland, Ohio between August 2008 to December 2011 retrieved from the Cleveland, Ohio Police Department (CPD), the Cuyahoga Country Medical Examiner's Office, and the Cuyahoga Country Clerk of Courts Online Case Records Search System.