Crime Data Released, City Homicides Approach Historic Low
CHICAGO (STMW) - Total crime in Chicago was down 3.7 percent in October compared to last year during the same period, and property and violent index offenses similarly declined at 2 percent and 9.8 percent respectively, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody P. Weis announced on Sunday.
In a discussion of preliminary crime data for October at police headquarters Sunday, Weis also noted that a total of 379 murders through the end of October was lower than figures recorded during the same period in previous years, including 2007, which closed with the lowest murder total in the city since 1965.
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October was the 22nd consecutive month of decreases in overall, violent, and property index crime, a release from police News Affairs said. Nine fewer murders supported a 2.3 percent category drop compared to the same period in 2009, the release said.
Of the murders that have occurred so far in Chicago this year, "nearly 55 percent ... were were gang-involved, and we need to continue to strategically target the gang lifestyle – particularly guns and drugs – in order to decrease murders to our ultimate goal – zero," Weis said.
In October, Chicago Police announced the expansion the Gang School Safety Team pilot program, with the aim of preventing gang crime through proactive initiatives and suppressing gang violence with communication and conflict resolution strategies. Additionally, Chicago Police announced the results of a new violence reduction strategy wherein Chicago Police and law enforcement partners presented gang members with social services resources, and a message that swift and certain enforcement would be taken against the gang responsible for the next homicide in the city.
Following that meeting, the gang faction culpable for the city's next slaying was identified, and more than 60 of its members were arrested and charged with offenses that included first-degree murder and weapons- and drug- related offenses, the release said.
All violent index offenses across the board were down compared to last year during the same period, the release said.
Aggravated assaults showed the largest drop at 12.2 percent, followed by downward trends in robbery at 11.6 percent, criminal sexual assaults at 7.6 percent, and aggravated batteries at 6.4 percent.
Property index offenses declined in nearly every category with the exception of motor vehicle theft, which was up by 22.7 percent. However, according to police, when compared to the previous 5-year average for motor vehicle theft, there is nearly a 6 percent reduction. Arson realized the largest drop in property crime at 9.5 percent, followed by declines in theft at 6.6 percent and burglary at slightly more than 2 percent.
Additionally, Weis said, police have taken more than 6,900 guns off of the city's streets through the end of October.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
