The study analyzed data from a review of the National Homicide Monitoring Program data, and questionnaires completed by police detectives and officers. A detailed comparative analysis was done of incident and victim characteristics in order to isolate factors differentiating solved homicides from those unsolved. According to the authors, the two most important components for solving homicides are the motivation of the perpetrators and how the police respond to a particular incident. While the study demonstrates differences between solvable and unsolvable homicides, the authors believed that the differences were subtle and that there is often more than one explanation for homicides. It was noted that the timeliness and competence of the police response were crucial. The authors concluded that all homicides are solvable but some take longer and require much more effort, and that if both the police and government are sufficiently motivated and resources were properly allocated the homicide is likely to be solved. Table, notes and references.