Where the idea came from
The logic is simple: prisoners spend many hours playing cards, the deck stays in their hands for weeks, and the same face appears dozens of times. An ordinary flyer does not work that way.
The second part is the audience. Details of old cases come up in conversations around the table, and someone who would never go to a police station may call anonymously or pass information through a lawyer.
- Case goes cold
- Deck is printed
- Cards reach prison
- Anonymous call
Each card includes the basics: a photo or portrait, where and when it happened, a short line about what is known, and a hotline number. Sometimes a reward for information is listed.
Does it work
There are documented cases solved after these decks were distributed, and in several states the program has continued for years. But there is no full comparison with a control group, so its exact impact cannot be determined.
- Plus: the reminder stays around for months and requires no attention from the recipient.
- Plus: it works where ordinary outreach channels do not work at all.
- Minus: some calls are made up for the reward or to settle scores.
- Minus: relatives learn about the case again and do not always agree to this kind of publicity.
That is why cases are chosen for the deck together with the victims' families, and the wording on the cards is agreed on: an inaccurate sentence about a victim can remain in other people's hands for a very long time.
A similar logic lies behind other unusual media, such as notices on packaging and in local newspapers. They have one thing in common: information about old cases comes not from technology, but from a person who decided to speak.
Why are unsolved cases printed on playing cards?
What is known about these programs' effectiveness?
Sources
- Decks of playing cards featuring unsolved cases are distributed in correctional facilities in several US states and several other countries
- the cards include information about the victim, the circumstances, and a phone number for anonymous tips. Some cases solved after such reports have been documented
- no controlled evaluation of the programs' effectiveness has been conducted
Next in the “Cold Cases” series
2 articles in full on the site, 3 more in the app
