Motor vehicle theft and arson are among the hardest crimes to solve, with motor vehicle theft having one of the lowest clearance rates (approx. 8.2%). Arson is exceptionally challenging due to destroyed evidence, lack of witnesses, and intentional concealment. Other difficult crimes include cold-case murders, cybercrime, and, legally, treason.
Burglary is probably the most difficult to solve because its perpetrators do not have a motive that makes the victim's identity relevant. In most cases, they will elect to steal from an unoccupied home or dwelling, which may leave few, if any, witnesses.
Let's start with one of the most publicized unsolved cases, so popular, there's even a website dedicated to tracking this murderer down.
9/11 Investigation. They were the most lethal terrorist attacks in history, taking the lives of 3,000 Americans and international citizens and ultimately leading to far-reaching changes in anti-terror approaches and operations in the U.S. and around the globe.
The number one killer globally and in the United States is heart disease (cardiovascular disease), consistently leading as the top cause of death, responsible for a significant portion of all fatalities, with cancer and accidents/unintentional injuries often ranking second and third, respectively, according to recent data from health organizations like the WHO and CDC.
In 2023, murder and manslaughter charges had the highest crime clearance rate in the United States, with 57.8 percent of all cases being cleared by arrest or so-called exceptional means.
Real-life examples
The infamous 1987 Opera House heist in India by a group of men impersonating CBI officers was described as a perfect crime.
Some of the common examples of actions that may be called victimless crimes include:
"8 focus crimes" typically refers to the Philippine National Police's (PNP) list of serious offenses they track closely: murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicles, and carnapping of motorcycles; these are often compared to the FBI's UCR Program's "Part I Crimes" which include murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft, and arson, indicating a global focus on major crime categories.
We all know the most famous frivolous lawsuit story. Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's back in 1992 when she spilled hot coffee on herself. "But coffee is meant to be hot" we all cry. Dig a little deeper into the case however and it starts to look less frivolous.
Aggravated assault is the most common type of violent crime. It includes criminal behavior that involves an attack on someone with the intent to cause injury. It may or may not include the use of a weapon.
That places the U.S. far behind other countries like Germany, where more than 90% of homicide cases are solved, according to Our World in Data. The murder clearance rate hit an all-time low in 2020. In 2021, only 51% of homicides were solved, according to FBI statistics analyzed by the Murder Accountability Project.
7 Most Common Criminal Offenses in the U.S.
The Ice Valley Mystery
Norway's 'Isdal woman' case reads like a Cold War Scandi thriller. A woman's burnt body was found in the remote Ice Valley in 1970. A bottle of St. Hallvard liqueur, jewelry, and clothing with the labels ripped out lay nearby.
True crime entertainment allows viewers to experience fear, although they are never actually in danger. Women empathize with victims in true crime stories that, generally, involve other women like themselves. True crime fans seek to simultaneously humanize and dehumanize diabolical killers to make sense of them.
The number one "silent killer" widely referred to by health organizations is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), because it often has no symptoms but silently damages the body, leading to severe issues like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and dementia, with heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S.. Other conditions, like Hepatitis C and certain cancers (e.g., ovarian), are also considered silent killers because they can progress unnoticed, but high blood pressure is most frequently cited due to its widespread prevalence and direct link to cardiovascular death.
The biggest killers of humans globally are non-communicable diseases, primarily Ischaemic Heart Disease and Cancer, while mosquitoes are the deadliest animals, transmitting diseases like malaria. In the U.S., heart disease and cancer lead, but worldwide, heart disease is the top single cause, followed by stroke and infections.
Even the portrayal of Dexter Morgan-his dress, attitude, and past-is enough to cause audiences to name him 'America's Favorite Serial Killer. '