Unlocking Justice: How Pennsylvania’s VICTIM Act Targets Unsolved Violent Crime
Despite a decline in overall violent crime rates, cases that go unsolved leave lasting scars on Pennsylvania’s communities. This solvability crisis is not just a matter of statistics—it means victims and families are denied closure, dangerous offenders remain at large, and public trust in the justice system erodes. The recently introduced VICTIM Act (HB 1511) is a powerful, evidence-based solution to help law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth turn the tide on solved violent crime.
Clearance rates, which track the percentage of crimes solved by arrest or other means, are a direct measure of law enforcement’s ability to deliver justice. When these rates drop, the consequences ripple outward making us all feel less safe. Decades of research underscore that the likelihood of being caught deters crime more than the severity of punishment, making it critical for Pennsylvania to invest in efforts that help law enforcement close more cases.
Pennsylvania’s law enforcement agencies are grappling with a host of operational challenges that make it increasingly difficult to solve violent crimes. Staffing shortages are widespread, with departments struggling to recruit and retain trained personnel, leading to overwhelming caseloads and investigative burnout. In Philadelphia, for instance, more than 80 percent of nonfatal shootings in recent years have gone uncleared, revealing deep deficiencies in case tracking, data systems, and investigative capacity across the city. Detectives often must triage their work, focusing on the most solvable cases and leaving others with minimal follow-up—delaying justice and increasing the risk of missed evidence.
Training gaps are another significant hurdle, especially in smaller and rural agencies that may lack formal protocols or access to the latest forensic techniques. This inconsistency can result in missed opportunities, such as failing to canvass for witnesses or overlooking time-sensitive digital evidence. Meanwhile, witness and victim cooperation is declining in many communities, fueled by distrust of law enforcement and fear of retaliation. This cycle perpetuates itself: As more crimes go unsolved, community confidence wanes, and cooperation drops even further.
Technological bottlenecks also slow down investigations. Crime labs are overburdened, with DNA and digital evidence often taking months or longer to process. Smaller agencies, in particular, lack the resources to invest in modern forensic tools or efficient record management systems. Finally, the fragmented nature of Pennsylvania’s law enforcement landscape means agencies often operate in silos, with limited data sharing and little coordination across jurisdictions—allowing offenders to slip through the cracks, especially in cases that cross county or municipal lines.
The VICTIM Act tackles these challenges head-on by establishing the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. This grant program provides local law enforcement agencies with resources to:
- Hire, retain, and train personnel dedicated to investigating violent crimes
- Acquire and upgrade technology and forensic equipment
- Support witnesses and victims throughout the investigative process
- Improve record management and data-reporting systems
- Enhance evidence collection and analysis capabilities
The Act ensures equitable distribution of resources, reserving at least 10 percent of grant funding for rural agencies and encouraging regional collaboration through multijurisdictional applications. This approach recognizes that smaller departments often lack the specialized resources of larger agencies and that pooling efforts can lead to better outcomes.
A hallmark of the VICTIM Act is its strong emphasis on transparency and accountability. Grant recipients must submit annual reports detailing clearance rates, time to resolution, personnel investments, technology upgrades, and use of funds. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will evaluate the program each year, identifying best practices and areas for improvement to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent effectively and the program adapts to real-world results.
The VICTIM Act has attracted support from both sides of the aisle, reflecting a shared recognition that public safety and justice are not partisan issues. Lawmakers from both parties emphasized the urgent need to give law enforcement the tools they need to close cases and bring closure to victims’ families. National policy organizations have also praised the bill for its evidence-based approach and its potential to restore confidence in Pennsylvania’s justice system.
HB 1511 draws on proven strategies from other states and national research. Jurisdictions with higher clearance rates invest in specialized investigative units, robust forensic support, strong victim services, and regional collaboration. By focusing on these best practices, the Act positions Pennsylvania to reverse the decline in clearance rates and deliver real results for communities.
When violent crimes go unsolved, the cost isn’t just found in crime reports—it’s felt in broken families, shaken communities, and diminishing trust in the justice system. The VICTIM Act is more than a bill; it’s a bold, bipartisan commitment to solving violent crime and restoring faith in public safety. Supporting this legislation means standing up for law enforcement, standing with victims, and demanding the accountability that every community across the Commonwealth deserves.