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Homicide detectives work aggressively to solve cases, regardless of race

The race of homicide victims doesn’t affect whether police will solve the victim’s murder or not, according to a study of one city’s police department. Researchers found no evidence that homicide detectives spent less time or effort on cases involving African-American victims, as some police critics have suggested. The high public visibility of murder cases and the fact that homicide detectives are judged entirely on how many cases they solve mean that all murder cases receive similar treatment, said Richard Lundman, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State University.