1 in 3 Chicago violent crimes is a robbery, up 21% in a year

Chicagoans reported 7.6% more violent crime from July 2023 through June 2024. Residents experienced a 21% increase in robberies during those 12 months, with robberies becoming one-third of all violent crimes.

Chicagoans experienced 7.6% more violent crime from July 2023 through June 2024 than during the previous 12 months, with robberies accounting for 1-in-3 violent crimes.

Residents reported 29,522 violent crimes through June. But as cases of violent crime hit their highest level in the past five years, the arrest rate for these felonies declined to 10.8%, the lowest level in the past five years.

Overall, robberies were the most common violent crime, accounting for 33% of all reported violent acts. Aggravated batteries and assaults together were 54% of cases.

Robberies increased 21.4% – the most of any violent crime in Chicago during the past 12 months. Coordinated robbery sprees in some of the city’s traditionally safest neighborhood helped drive that number.

The city’s arrest rate for robberies also fell to its lowest level in the past five years. Just 1 in 21 cases resulting in an arrest.

Depending on what time the victim was robbed, the chances of catching the robber could fall even farther.

Just looking at the month of June showed just how bad the arrest rate is. There were 714 robberies, spread across the city, but only 16 arrests.

There was a concentration of robberies in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s home neighborhood of Austin, which reporting more robberies than any other neighborhood in June.

During the previous 12 months, Hispanic Chicagoans were 2.5 times more likely to be victims of a robbery compared to white Chicagoans. Black Chicagoans were twice as likely to be targeted.

White Hispanic Chicagoans were also the most frequent victims of robberies, making up 39.4% of cases during the past year, followed by Black residents at 31.8%.

According to a Lincoln Poll in January, 2 of every 3 voters somewhat or strongly disapproved of Johnson’s handling of crime.

Regardless of whether Chicago can fix its crime problem with more cops or more social justice initiatives, it is clear Johnson should be addressing the problem – actively and aggressively.

Longer-term solutions cannot work unless today’s crimes are addressed and Chicagoans – like the ones living in Johnson’s neighborhood – stop living in fear.