In 2007, the Attorney General’s Cold Case Task Force convened a series of public hearings to examine challenges associated with cold case investigations. The Task Force released its final report on December 28, 2007. The Cold Case Task Force released its final report on Dec. 28, 2007, which included the following recommendation:

“It is recommended that the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission be asked to continue the efforts of the Cold Case Task Force by bringing together members of the criminal justice community to facilitate the development of legislation and identify promising practices.”

In response to this recommendation, the Arizona Legislature enacted SB 1274 (2008), which directs the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) to:

“Compile and disseminate information on best practices for cold case investigations, including effective victim communication procedures.”

The statute further defines a “cold case” as a homicide or felony sexual offense that remains unsolved for one year or more after being reported to a law enforcement agency and for which no viable, unexplored investigative leads exist.

Data Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (as of March 2026)

Cold Case Resources