Hi all,
I have a historical drama pilot that involves a detective solving a case. Has anyone come across some kind of database that lists the type of crime and how it was solved?
I'm not a detective, and I would prefer to read about a criminal case and how it was solved, then adjust those elements to fit my story. Hope that made sense (it's crystal clear in my head what I'm looking for).
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It's probably not that much help as it focuses on the crime more than the investigation, but at least on the solved cases, it generally gives you a rundown of the investigation and the most pertinent clues that helped solve it - thetruecrimedatabase.com
Unfortunately, most of it is behind a paywall.
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You've picked the tough one, Randall. Police never releases details how a specific crime was solved. They won't discuss ongoing investigation which leaves you with only one option. Try to talk to an active police detective to explain you how investigation starts. You said you want to adjust those elements to fit your story. If you have have a historical drama pilot, when did this case happen, how long ago, 20, 30, 50 years. If that's the case you should be able to contact that specific police department and ask if you can take a look in paperwork, how this case was solved.
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I don’t know of a database. But most big crimes will be covered on Youtube channels. I am a fan of the casual criminalist.
The thing that most crime films get wrong is that they don’t look at the legalisation of the crime. You only have to satisfy the “elements of the offence” to get a conviction. That works the other way as well. When people say “she got off in a technicality”, that really means sloppy police work that didn’t cover all the elements.
Let say unlicensed building work.
A person does residential building work for payment on a property they do not own or reside is in breach of xxxxxx. (fake legislation).
Now if you don’t get paid, no law is broken. If you move in while doing the work, no law is broken.
So an inspector give you a fine. You go to court say you live in the basement. Fine is overturned.
I hope this helps.