Chicago violent crime hits 5-year high

Chicago’s violent crime increased to the highest level in the past five years. Aggravated assaults increased the most in the past 12 months. Most victims were Black.

Chicago Police data shows residents suffered 29,677 violent crimes in the 12 months through August – the highest level in the past five years.

Robberies were the most common at 35% of violent crimes. Next was aggravated batteries at 30% and aggravated assaults at 27%.

Aggravated assaults increased 5.3% – the most of any violent crime in Chicago during the past 12 months – with Black victims in over half the cases. Aggravated assaults involve the use of deadly force but no contact between the individuals, such as an individual being shot at but not hit.

The city’s arrest rate for aggravated assaults rose to its second-highest level in the past five years. Still, just 1-in-6 cases resulted in an arrest.

During the past five years, aggravated assaults have consistently peaked at 5 p.m. and reached their lowest levels at 6 a.m. Depending on what time the victim was assaulted, the chances of catching the offender could fall even farther.

There was a concentration of assaults in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s home neighborhood of Austin, which reported more aggravated assaults than any other neighborhood during the past year.

Overall, 4-in-5 aggravated assaults reported during the past 12 months occurred on the city’s West and South sides.

Black Chicagoans were 5.3 times more likely to be the victim of an aggravated assault compared to white Chicagoans. Hispanic Chicagoans were 3.5 times more likely to be targeted.

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 – such as Johnson’s neighbors – stop living in fear.