It's not often that we hear positive news about Chicago crime. So windy city citizens should embrace the news that the violent crime rate dipped 11 percent in April, according to the Chicago Tribune. And the murder rate is below the five-year average for the month.
The statistics come from Chicago's top cop, police Supt. Jody Weis, who dispelled the myth that crime has been unusually bad in the first months of spring:
"While the public perception is that violence has increased to unprecedented levels, the facts do not support that conclusion."
That doesn't mean Chicago criminal attorneys are hurting for work, just that the crime rate has cooled somewhat. Crime in general is down 6.9 percent this year, while preliminary crime statistics indicate that last month was the 16th consecutive month of lower crime in Chicago.
However, those statistics probably do not account for unreported crimes. And even though violent crime decreased (including sexual assault, robbery, arson and aggravated battery), homicides actually increased by 8 percent this year compared to the same period of 2009.
Jody Weis said the decrease in overall crime is the result of smart policing; sharing information among federal, state and local police; and partnering with community leaders. During the press conference in which he announced April's decline, he pointed out that the majority of homicides are committed with guns:
"And the one sure way to reduce gun violence is to eliminate the availability of guns."
There are varied opinions as to how this can be accomplished. While the US Supreme Court is deciding the constitutionality of Chicago's ban on handguns, as the Tribune's Clout Street blog explains, the Northwest Indiana Times reported that Illinois' neighbor to the east is one of the largest sources for Chicago crime guns.
Related Resources:
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High Court Hears Challenge to Chicago Handgun Law (FindLaw's Blotter Blog)
