Arnold Ventures Commends the Missouri Legislature and Gov. Mike Kehoe for Taking Action to Improve Violent Crime Clearance Rates

Houston, TX. (July 15, 2025) — Arnold Ventures applauds the Missouri legislature and Gov. Mike Kehoe for taking important steps to increase the number of violent crimes solved in the state. These steps include bipartisan passage of a new violent crime clearance grant program and enhanced data collection and reporting requirements for tracking the state’s rate of unsolved violent crime under HB 225. They also include the recent launch of the ​“Missouri Blue Shield” program. Established as part of Executive Order 25 – 03, the Blue Shield program provides grant funds to communities that can be spent on new crime-solving technologies and enhanced training. 

“Evidence shows that solving violent crimes, thus ensuring accountability and increasing the certainty of punishment, is one of the best ways to deter and prevent future crime,” says Emily Baldwin, criminal justice advocacy manager at Arnold Ventures. ​“Existing data suggest that, in 2023, only a little over one-third (38%) of violent crimes reported to Missouri law enforcement were solved. With these recent actions, Missouri has joined a growing number of states addressing the problem of low violent crime clearance rates to make our communities safer, honor victims, better support law enforcement, and reduce burdens on the criminal justice system.” 

“Everyone suffers when crimes go unsolved and justice isn’t served. The clearance rate provisions included in HB 225 are an important first step toward ending criminal impunity in Missouri and making communities statewide safer,” says Jason Olin, senior government affairs manager for Criminal Justice at the Niskanen Center. ​“We look forward to working with the legislature and Governor Kehoe in future sessions to ensure law enforcement agencies in Missouri have the resources necessary to catch criminals who today have little fear of consequences.”

“When clearance rates are low, the system fails everyone. Victims, their families, and law enforcement deserve better,” says Brett Tolman, former U.S. attorney and executive director of Right On Crime. ​“Harsher sentences and more laws may sound tough, but the best deterrent against criminals is the probability of getting caught. Our criminal justice system must be held to account by improving clearance rates and restoring confidence in public safety.”