The study found that the practice of including such exceptional clearances in total clearances produced an increase in clearance percentages, depending on the percentage of exceptional clearances compared with clearances due to an arrest. The impact was difficult to determine because there were few data sources that distinguished clearances from arrest and exceptional clearances. In comparing cases of exceptional clearances with those cleared by arrest, there were significant differences in the circumstances leading to the homicide, the genders of the victim and offender, the victim-offender relationship, the location of the homicide, and the weapon used. Cases barred from prosecution tended to involve a disproportionate number of domestic homicides, male victims and female offenders, intimate partners, private indoor locations, and knives as weapons of choice. Possible reasons are offered as to why such homicide circumstances tend to produce exceptional clearances. The final sample for the study consisted of 452 homicide cases that were barred from prosecution. The study also selected a random sample of homicides cleared by arrest for comparison. 2 figures, 3 tables, and 13 references