By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
The big wave of drop in murders nationally has nearly bypassed Chicago in 2024. Based on reporting from AHDatalytics, Chicago is tied for the 2nd-lowest percentage drop in homicides in the country among cities greater than 250,000 in population. Cities like Jacksonville, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Cleveland, Washington DC and Baltimore have all seen murders drop by about 30% to 50% this year compared to last. Chicago, meanwhile, had dropped by just 7% as of Oct. 5.
The freshest data for Chicago on Nov. 5 is even worse, showing Chicago murders have dropped just 5%. That same data also reveals that Chicago has again surpassed 500 homicides, among them the recent murder of policeman Enrique Martinez, who was shot and killed while on duty on Nov. 4 by an assailant out on electronic monitoring.
Some might note that murders in Chicago’s big-peer cities New York City and Los Angeles have also dropped by relatively small amounts, 12% and 10%, respectively. But it’s important to note that both big cities already had low murder rates, making big drops more difficult for them. The homicide rate in 2023 in Los Angeles was just 8.6 per 100,000 and New York’s was even lower at 4.7 per 100,000. By contrast, Chicago’s was five times higher than New York’s, at 23.2.
Chicago continues to a big outlier in the country for crime and, in particular, for murder. A look at the table below shows Chicago is well on its way to leading the country in homicides for the 13th year in a row.
And yet the culture for addressing crime in Chicago only gets worse. The mayor’s “defund the police” mentality. A Cook County State’s Attorney office that refuses to criminalize crime. A Cook County judge that continues to decarcerate. A SAFE-T Act that makes it harder to detain dangerous offenders, allowing even more bad people to roam the streets. And a sanctuary status that invites an unknown number of criminals to Chicago. What has Chicago done?
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Come for a visit, stay for your funeral
Brandon Johnson’s administration thus far has served only to further enable and empower the gangbangers. Chicago gangbanger-rapper-murderer Lil’Durk was Johnson’s largest campaign contributor after CTU. And note, Johnson refuses to return Durk’s cash-contributions despite Durk’s recent multi-count Federal indictment for organized crime and murder. Nice friends you got there, Brandon.
Bunch of kids just “funnin”. Heyjackass.com has the stats. 97% of all shootings and homicides involve POC.
I thought the mayor had a plan
How many years in a row is that? Sure seems like your democrat policies are working well, especially for that African American population. Maybe if they get to 100% democrat voting by blacks, they can put themselves back into actual slavery.
Life is cheap in Democratic ruled cities and getting cheaper…