Tuesday, August 24, 2010

How long does it take for a criminal case to become considered a unsolved case, or a cold case?

I've been reading a friend's screenplay, at a writers' group that I'm part of, and he has the police declaring a case unsolved within a few months. I, myself, actually think that they would wait at least a year. But I don't know.How long does it take for a criminal case to become considered a unsolved case, or a cold case?
There is no time frame. As soon as you run out of leads, and there is nothing else to follow up on, the case goes inactive.How long does it take for a criminal case to become considered a unsolved case, or a cold case?
At the point that there are no more leads to follow, no more witnesses to interview, no more evidence to collect and analyze. The cases stay open in hopes that, at some point, another witness will come forward or more evidence becomes available. I don't think that there's really any magic amount of time for a case to be declared as cold or unsolved--the investigators can make that declaration when there is nothing else for them to do.
I think its over a life span of the criminal, basically when they can assume that person is dead from old age I cant say I'm sure but since I watch alot of court TV well tru TV now, for example i remember there was a criminal cases in which detectives solved 33 years later! Also depends on how severe the case is, murder cases would never end that easily.
You're correct technically, but the fact is that lots of cases are wound down fairly early on, but the police wouldn't ever say that publicly for political reasons, and for community faith in them.


So that screenplay is unrealistic, unless the film is about an inept police spokesperson.
They wait until they have run out of leads, but a few months is a little bit quick to declare it officially unsolved, especially if it's a kidnapping or a homicide.
They are never unsolved or cold cases. There is a special unit that continues the investigation until it is solved beyond a reasonable question of doubt.

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