Process mapping homicide investigations and estimating resource requirements for homicide units: Findings from a case study in the United States

Abstract

A research team worked with a large urban jurisdiction in the southeastern United States, conducted detective interviews, developed process maps, and estimated the work hours associated with various phases of homicide investigations. The investigative process was organized into separate stages and presented as process maps. The average time elapsed for the initial investigative stage was 72.0 hours, while time to complete the second stage was 10.3 days. Plea-bargained cases consumed 12 hours of lead investigator’s time; homicide trials required an additional 13.2 workdays. These workflow maps and workload estimates could be used to help determine staffing allocations in similar agencies.