Annual Clearance Rates 2011-2020

Key to Tables

1 UCR Closure Criteria - Law enforcement agencies can clear, or “close,” offenses in one of two ways, either by arrest or by exceptional means. To clear an offense within the UCR Program’s guidelines, the agency must adhere to specific criteria.

• Cleared by Arrest - In the UCR Program, a law enforcement agency reports that an offense is cleared by arrest, or solved for crime reporting purposes, when three specific conditions have been met. The three conditions are that at least one person has been (i) arrested; (ii) charged with the commission of the offense; and (iii) turned over to the court for prosecution.
• Cleared by Exceptional Means - In certain situations, elements beyond law enforcement’s control prevent the agency from arresting and formally charging the offender. When this occurs, the agency can clear the offense exceptionally. Law enforcement agencies must meet the following four conditions in order to clear an offense by exceptional means. The agency must have (i) identified the offender; (ii) gathered enough evidence to support an arrest, charge, and prosecution; (iii) identified the offender’s location; and (iv) encountered a circumstance outside the control of law enforcement that prohibits the agency from arresting, charging, and prosecuting the offender. One example would be the death of the offender, such as a murder-suicide, where the offender was known to have committed a murder and subsequently committed suicide before being charged and prosecuted.