This study seeks to understand what type of offender is targeted when the police make concerted efforts to bring fugitives to justice.
In this study, we consider the offending population targeted by a standalone fugitive unit in a local police department – the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) Fugitive Apprehension Unit (FAU). Descriptive methods were used to detail features of arrest warrants and characteristics of involved persons (perpetrators and victims). Bivariate regression analyses were used to explore whether case severity differs based on case referral source.
Examination of 1,706 warrant-related arrests made by the FAU from 2014 to 2021 revealed that 87% of apprehended subjects had an active felony charge and 66% committed a violent crime, including 21% aggravated assault, 11% robbery and 9% murder. Bivariate analyses revealed that cases sourced from districts or other units within BPD were more likely to involve a violent crime and less likely to involve a drug offense compared to cases where the FAU assisted outside law enforcement agencies.
This study provides evidence that dedicated units offer a promising approach for targeting serious and violent fugitives, and findings can be used to inform resource allocation decisions and help shape public perceptions of police legitimacy.
Scant research has considered the type of offenders targeted by proactive efforts to arrest wanted persons. This study provides an assessment of a standalone unit within a major US police department dedicated to pursuing and apprehending serious and violent fugitives.
