A crime is usually considered cleared when?

A crime is considered cleared when the police arrest a suspect because this indicates that law enforcement has identified and apprehended an individual believed to be responsible for the crime. This action is significant as it reflects the conclusion of the investigative phase and moves the case to the judicial system, where legal proceedings will continue. The arrest signals that the police have sufficient evidence to believe they have identified the perpetrator, meeting the criteria established by law enforcement agencies for classifying a crime as "cleared."

In contrast, simply investigating an incident does not provide resolution; it is merely the initial stage of determining the facts surrounding the crime. The case going to trial and securing a conviction are steps that occur after an arrest and involve the judicial process rather than law enforcement's clearance of the crime. Hence, it is the arrest of a suspect that clearest indicates that the police have made progress in addressing the crime.