Crime Without Punishment | CBS Reports
In this CBS Reports documentary, Jim Axelrod peels back the curtain on a sobering reality of a justice system in crisis: For roughly half of the people murdered in America, no one is arrested for the crime.
Crime Without Punishment
A look at unsolved murders in America
A closer look at disparities in NYPD's homicide clearance rates
In a collaboration with CBS News, we examine a crime often going without punishment in our country. CBS2's Ali Bauman takes a closer look at racial disparities in homicide closure rates at the NYPD.
Oakland, San Francisco see disheartening difference in homicide clearance rates
Barely half of murder cases in the United States get solved. The national homicide clearance rate is at an all-time low, according to FBI data. Oakland and San Francisco are seeing a large difference on solved cases, as Wilson Walker reports.
She lost two sons to gun violence; five years later, still no arrests
Barely half of murder cases in the U.S. get solved. The national homicide clearance rate is at an all-time low, according to FBI data. In the mid-1960s, more than 90% of murders were solved, generally resulting in the arrests. By 1990, that percentage fell into the 60s. Then, by 2020, as homicides surged, the national clearance rate dropped to about 50% for the first time ever.
A "coin flip": Nearly half of U.S. murders go unsolved as cases rise
Murders are going unsolved at a historic pace, and police are far less likely to solve cases when the victim is Black or Hispanic, a CBS News investigation has found.
Behind the story: How CBS News analyzed homicide solve rates across U.S.
The investigative team at CBS News wanted to understand how police were addressing this nearly unprecedented spike in murders – and why many were going unsolved.
Baltimore task force trying to solve the crisis of unsolved murder
Officials from more than 20 agencies are working together in a nondescript warehouse, investigating Baltimore's most brazen drug syndicates.
Unsolved murders and the mothers of Jackson, Mississippi
Mothers being asked to investigate the murders of their sons has become a reality in Jackson.
Philly police say "crushing volume" of killings outruns their ability to close cases
CBS News analyzed decades of unsolved murders across the country, and found stark racial disparities in the clearance rates — the share of cases each year that are solved.
Former Dallas police chief hopes police and communities can bridge gaps
Renee Hall, former chief of the Dallas Police Department, is the daughter of a police officer killed in the line of duty.
A closer look at disparities in NYPD's homicide clearance rates
According to data analyzed by CBS News, the national homicide clearance rate has been improving for cases involving white victims, but falling for Black and Hispanic victims.
Detroit homicide clearance rates rise as national rates fall
According to the FBI and the Detroit Police Department, homicide clearance rates in the city have risen as the national average has fallen.
Unsolved murders on the rise, especially for Black, Hispanic victims
An analysis of FBI crime data by CBS 2 has found that LAPD's homicide clearance rate has ebbed over the years in a way that is concerning.
Five years after her brother's murder, one Chicago woman learns justice will never come
Chicago Police have low arrest rates, but higher rates for cleared or closed cases. We dig into what's behind those numbers.
Black and Hispanic murders are less likely to be solved. The reasons why are complicated.
New research by the CBS News Innovation Lab shows the likelihood of a murder being solved in the US is significantly lower when the victims are Black or Hispanic.
How Sacramento County is bucking the national trend of murder cases going unsolved
In a collaboration with CBS News, CBS Sacramento is examining why crime is often going without punishment in our country. The national homicide clearance rate is at an all-time low, according to FBI data. Barely half of the murder cases in the United States get solved.
Miami police working to increase murder clearance rate
In Miami-Dade, the clearance rate for homicides in 2020 was 43%
The problem behind Boston's unsolved murders
Unsolved murders are a growing concern nationwide.
Homicide clearance rates are dropping in Philadelphia as murder rates skyrocket
The murder rate in Philadelphia was 499 in 2020. That's a 40% increase from 2019.
Homicide clearance rates are declining across the U.S. Baltimore's is down to 42%.
A CBS News analysis of FBI homicide data shows Baltimore City's average clearance rate from 2015 to 2019 was just 38.7%, hitting a low of 29.7% in 2015, the tumultuous year when Freddie Gray was killed in police custody and arrests plummeted.
More murders going unsolved nationally, but Dallas-Fort Worth may be getting less credit than they deserve
Murder, according to the FBI, is the most likely crime to be solved in the US, but nationally the rate of success has been in decline for years.
Pittsburgh homicide clearance rates falling as national rate hits all-time low
In a collaboration with CBS News, KDKA Investigates examines crime often going without punishment in our country.
U.S. unsolved homicide rates soar, and Minneapolis is pacing worse than nat'l average
The day after Terrell Mayes, Jr. celebrated Christmas with his family, the 3-year-old and his siblings heard gunshots. A stray bullet struck Terrell as he ran up the stairs inside his north Minneapolis home. For more than a decade, WCCO has followed his grieving mother's push to find her son's killer.
Denver police's approach to solving homicides has caught national attention
Denver police has made many changes in the decades since the shocking murder of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams, including building a $28 million state-of-the-art crime lab.
Oakland, SF see disheartening difference in homicide clearance rates
In a collaboration with CBS News, KPIX 5 is examining a crime often going without punishment in our country. Barely half of murder cases in the United States get solved.
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ICE agent shoots and wounds man in Austin, Texas
The lawyer for the man identified him as a 28-year-old Venezuelan national, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. Officials said he was shot at least once in the torso and was in serious but stable condition.
18 suspects in killing of Haiti's president being extradited to Florida for trial
Eighteen suspects who were arrested in the July 2021 killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were awaiting extradition to the U.S. on Sunday.
Cassidy: Trump needs to be "radically honest" on vaccines amid measles outbreak
GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana urged the president to be "radically honest" when he's speaking about vaccines, as the U.S. this year has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades.
Bessent meets with Chinese counterpart ahead of Trump-Xi summit
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, ahead of the planned summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.
Trump to meet Mamdani in New York City on Monday
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Trump have met at least twice since Mamdani was elected last year.
MoneyWatch
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Nvidia's Jensen Huang rejects AI extinction fear as "doomsday narratives"
Predictions that AI could destroy humanity in a few years are irresponsible and not based on science, Nvidia's co-founder told CBS News.
Nvidia CEO calls for AI to be developed "as fast as we can"
The CEO of the world's largest chipmaker told CBS News that tech companies should proceed with artificial intelligence development despite recent warnings from worried industry leaders that there may be a need to pull back.
Mortgage rates are nearing 7%. One house hunter says he's "despondent."
"It seems like we're trying to climb out of a hole somebody else is digging," said one frustrated house hunter as homeownership costs rise.
Increased ICE enforcement in 2025 hurt local employment, analysis finds
Employment fell last year in U.S. cities where ICE arrests surged, according to the Brookings Institution.
AI security experts say they used Claude to hack ChatGPT
Cybersecurity researchers said they were able to use Anthropic's Claude AI platfom to penetrate ChatGPT in "less than 72 hours."
Politics
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Cassidy: Trump needs to be "radically honest" on vaccines amid measles outbreak
GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana urged the president to be "radically honest" when he's speaking about vaccines, as the U.S. this year has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades.
Bessent meets with Chinese counterpart ahead of Trump-Xi summit
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, ahead of the planned summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.
Trump to meet Mamdani in New York City on Monday
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Trump have met at least twice since Mamdani was elected last year.
Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 20, 2026
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Reps. Ro Khanna and Maria Elvira Salazar join Margaret Brennan.
Salazar tells Trump on Hispanic voters: "Preserve that fortune"
GOP Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida warned in a campaign ad last week that President Trump's immigration enforcement policy has "gone too far."
HealthWatch
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Her postpartum symptoms wouldn't go away. A brain tumor was to blame.
Lisa Fasone's first pregnancy went smoothly. Then a rare health condition put her dreams of a second child on hold.
RFK Jr. tells anti-vaccine activists they have a "friend in the White House"
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at a conference hosted by an organization he once led that has promoted doubts about vaccines.
Twins conjoined at the head are separated in 25-hour surgery
The twins were born in Ethiopia with a rare condition that left them joined at the head. Doctors spent a year planning a separation surgery.
Exclusive
Porsha Williams reveals health emergency: "It all happened so fast"
Porsha Williams revealed to "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Gayle King that she had to undergo an emergency partial hysterectomy this year after doctors discovered 21 uterine fibroids
Conjoined twins separated in Ethiopia
Two-year-old conjoined twin sisters saw each other face-to-face for the first time after a successful 24-hour surgery to separate them. Ian Lee reports from the children's hospital in St. Louis, where it happened.
World
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18 suspects in killing of Haiti's president being extradited to Florida for trial
Eighteen suspects who were arrested in the July 2021 killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were awaiting extradition to the U.S. on Sunday.
Germany's Merz remains defiant after historic state elections defeat
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged that the result was a "disaster" but said he would still move ahead with his government's reform agenda.
Transcript: IBM vice chairman Gary Cohn on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 20, 2026
The following is the transcript of the interview with IBM vice chair Gary Cohn, who served as an economic adviser in President Trump's first term, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 20, 2026.
Transcript: Rep. Ro Khanna on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 20, 2026
The following is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 20, 2026.
Transcript: Sen. Bill Cassidy on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 20, 2026
The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 20, 2026.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
Star Trek tech catches up with present day
This month marks 60 years since the first episode of Star Trek aired on TV, and Dave Malkoff shows how all these years later, the future is now.
Ed Sheeran resumes concert tour
This weekend, British pop star Ed Sheeran resumed his concert tour in Philadelphia, with no openers, amid a world of controversy. Jared Ochacher reports from outside Lincoln Financial Field.
9/20: Sunday Morning
Hosted by Jane Pauley. Featured: Battling sports gambling addiction; Charles Spencer on his sister, Princess Diana; Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on AI; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; Hollywood superagent Ari Emanuel; The Smithsonian's Lonnie Bunch; and a spectacle of buffalo puppetry.
Passage: Peter Max and Bob Mackie
"Sunday Morning" looks back on the life of Peter Max, whose psychedelic pop art became synonymous with the 1960s; and remembers costume designer Bob Mackie, who dressed the likes of Cher, Carol Burnett and Diana Ross.
Superagent Ari Emanuel: Born to fight
The Hollywood dealmaker is telling his life story in a raw, raunchy and rollicking new memoir, "Roll the Calls." He talks about growing up a bullied, dyslexic kid in the suburbs of Chicago, and explains why he is never afraid of confrontation.
Technology
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Technology
9/20: Sunday Morning
Hosted by Jane Pauley. Featured: Battling sports gambling addiction; Charles Spencer on his sister, Princess Diana; Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on AI; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; Hollywood superagent Ari Emanuel; The Smithsonian's Lonnie Bunch; and a spectacle of buffalo puppetry.
Nvidia's Jensen Huang rejects AI extinction fear as "doomsday narratives"
Predictions that AI could destroy humanity in a few years are irresponsible and not based on science, Nvidia's co-founder told CBS News.
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Extended interview: Nvidia's Jensen Huang
In this web exclusive, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks with CBS News' Jo Ling Kent about the exponential growth of AI, industry warnings about its power, and why he disagrees with recent calls to slow down development.
Nvidia's Jensen Huang on artificial intelligence
The Atlantic recently called Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang "the most powerful man in AI." He talks with correspondent Jo Ling Kent at Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., about the latest developments in artificial intelligence and the ongoing debate over safety and regulations.
Science
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Science
Neuroscientists grow human brain tissue in mice
Neuroscientists at Stanford University successfully grew human brain tissue inside mice in the hopes of further enabling the development of treatments for brain disorders. Stanford Medicine professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences Dr. Sergiu Pasca, who led the study, joins CBS News to break down the findings.
New species of wild cat discovered for first time in more than a century
Scientists have discovered a new species of wild cat for the first time in more than a century, a Bolivian researcher says.
Humpback whale seen grieving dead calf in rare footage
The footage shows a female humpback whale staying close to the dead calf as it lies motionless on the seafloor, touching it with its head and fin.
Remains of ancient warhorse given honorific burial discovered in Egypt
Archaeologists say they've discovered the remains of a likely ancient Egyptian warhorse given an honorific burial more than 3,000 years ago.
Anthropic CEO says "exponential" growth of AI is a "warning sign"
Artificial intelligence technology is developing at an "exponential" rate, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told CBS News, calling the situation a "warning sign" for the industry that requires serious safeguards.
Crime
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18 suspects in killing of Haiti's president being extradited to Florida for trial
Eighteen suspects who were arrested in the July 2021 killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were awaiting extradition to the U.S. on Sunday.
Patrick Clancy on life after trauma
In an exclusive interview airing Sunday on 60 Minutes, Patrick Clancy shares his side of the story, just weeks after his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy's murder trial ended without a verdict. Ross Douthat sat down with Patrick Clancy to discuss life after trauma and what lies ahead.
Patrick Clancy: "I think I did the best I could"
Asked whether he feels like he failed in some way, Patrick Clancy told 60 Minutes he believes he did the best he could with the information he had at the time. Watch more of the interview on 60 Minutes on Sunday.
Holdout juror in Clancy case speaks
The holdout juror in Lindsay Clancy's triple murder case has released a statement. Shanelle Kaul reports.
Police capture suspected serial killer disguised as woman, carrying baby
Brazilian police said they will reopen dozens of cases linked to a self-confessed serial killer who was arrested as he attempted to escape dressed as a woman and carrying a baby.
Space
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NASA spacecraft discovers moon crater bigger than Roman Colosseum
Scientists have discovered a crater on the moon that's bigger than the Roman Colosseum, the result of a powerful impact two years ago.
NASA launches its Roman Space Telescope to explore the hidden universe
NASA's Roman Space Telescope launched shortly after daybreak from Kennedy Space Center and blazed toward an observation point 1 million miles away.
Roman Space Telescope promises 300-megapixel views of the cosmos
The $4.3 billion telescope is expected to discover tens of thousands of exoplanets while probing the nature of mysterious dark matter and energy.
First on CBS
Trump to honor Artemis II crew with nation's top space medal
President Trump plans to award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of NASA's Artemis II mission in a ceremony Aug. 28.
NASA's Swift telescope will plunge toward Earth after rescue mission called off
The mission to save NASA's sinking space telescope has been called off, dooming the telescope to a fiery reentry later this year.
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Notable Deaths in 2026
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Dolly Parton: An extraordinary life in pictures
Dolly Parton, the country music legend who became a feminist icon, has died at the age of 80. Here is a look back at her life in pictures.
Investigating the death of designer Sylvie Cachay
Sylvie Cachay was found dead in an overflowing bathtub at the exclusive Soho House in New York City on Dec. 9, 2010. A water leak at the hotel gave away a timeline that may have revealed her killer.
Summer music highlights of 2026
Summer is the time to enjoy live music, indoors and out. Scroll through our gallery of some of 2026's leading musical acts, featuring images by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.
Photos show celebrations at Obama Presidential Center
The Obama Presidential Center, museum and library opens in Chicago with a star-studded grand opening ceremony and public watch party on Midway Plaisance.
Latest CBS News Videos
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Star Trek tech catches up with present day
This month marks 60 years since the first episode of Star Trek aired on TV, and Dave Malkoff shows how all these years later, the future is now.
Province of Alberta may split from Canada
The Canadian province of Alberta, a major supplier of oil and natural gas to the U.S., will vote next month on a possible referendum that could break up the country. Ian Lee reports from Raymond, Alberta.
Newsom signs "Jay Leno's Law"
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill known as "Jay Leno's Law," allowing high-emission classic cars to hit the streets for short trips. Adam Yamaguchi has more details.
Ed Sheeran resumes concert tour
This weekend, British pop star Ed Sheeran resumed his concert tour in Philadelphia, with no openers, amid a world of controversy. Jared Ochacher reports from outside Lincoln Financial Field.
High prices squeezing American farmers
America's farmers face a tough harvest this year with trade wars, tariffs and inflation all taking a toll. The cost of diesel hit a new record, averaging $6.50 a gallon, nearly a dollar higher than last month. Lana Zak reports from North Liberty, Iowa.