3 Examples of AI Helping Police Solve Cold Cases
Artificial intelligence (AI) is excellent at reviewing lots of information in a short time — something humans often struggle with. That’s a useful advantage to have in many applications, but one of its most impactful use cases could be in criminal investigations.
Detective work often means sifting through piles of details to find connections. While that’s challenging for even the most experienced professionals, it’s exactly where AI’s greatest strengths lie. Consequently, many organizations and police forces think AI could be a game-changing tool for solving cold cases. It’s already helped them do so in a few instances.
1. The Golden State Killer
One of the most famous examples of AI aiding investigations is the cold case of the Golden State Killer. The killer, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., pled guilty to 26 counts of murder in 2018 — decades after actually committing the crimes. Los Angeles police were able to find him after so long because of AI-assisted DNA analysis.
Police sent DNA gathered from their investigations to a platform called GEDmatch, which analyzes tons of DNA samples to find matches. By comparing the sample to public DNA databases, AI models could identify who the genetic material might belong to.
Those same DNA analysis platforms helped investigators build a family tree of the perpetrator, eventually narrowing it down to a single suspect. Doing the same without advanced algorithms could’ve taken even more time with more errors, but AI was able to help solve a decades-old case.
2. HSI’s Facial Recognition Initiative
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has also experimented with AI as a tool for cracking cold cases. In 2023, the agency teamed up with U.K. police to investigate a child exploitation cold case. The officials were able to identify, find, and arrest the suspect within two weeks with the help of facial recognition.
A retired HSI investigator, Jim Cole, has said the agency has been using similar technology to solve older cases. According to Cole, facial recognition has helped identify hundreds of victims and abusers. While officers cannot use these results as probable cause, they can aid further investigations to find who’s guilty and bring them to justice.
Much of this operation is under wraps, so the specifics of the technology aren’t certain. However, inside sources say these AI tools can access databases containing data on thousands of cases.
3. The Somerset Police Project
The Somerset Police in the U.K. have also begun testing AI’s ability to solve cold cases. While the department hasn’t announced any completed investigations yet, the project has shown promising early signs.
An AI solution was able to compile all the evidence for 27 cases in just 30 hours when it would take a human 81 years. The system does not perform any investigative work on its own but handles the monotonous documentation side of the process. By analyzing and summarizing vast amounts of data, the AI can provide a rundown of a potential case for further investigation in minimal time.
While it may seem small, this step could save officials considerable time and effort. It would be easier to allot resources appropriately to solve long-standing cases, potentially leading to justice for those who have yet to get it.
The Controversy Around AI in Criminal Investigation
As AI grows and helps police forces solve crimes, it could have major implications. Right now, only 41.5% of violent crimes get reported, but seeing more get solved could prompt victims or witnesses to come forward with greater confidence and notify authorities. However, there are downsides to consider, too.
The use of AI in criminal proceedings is a controversial subject. One of the main reasons is that facial recognition and DNA analysis tools may entail beaches of privacy. Once agencies start relying on such data, the lines between protection and surveillance begin to blur. Even in the Golden State Killer case, there was controversy around the potential use of DNA platforms without people’s knowledge or consent.
Accuracy and bias also hold AI back as an investigative tool. AI hallucinations could lead police to investigate people who are totally innocent. More worryingly, facial recognition and similar AI applications are less accurate for people of color, which could worsen racial injustices that already exist in the legal system.
AI Is a Powerful But Dangerous Investigation Tool
Law enforcement agencies and AI developers will need to address the technology’s downsides before using it on a large scale. However, it’s hard to overlook its potential, too.
AI has already shown its worth as a way to solve cases that may otherwise go open for years. While it requires additional care and development to become a safe mainstream option, it could reshape the legal industry if it reaches that point.
