Chicago Leads National Crime Decline, Officials Point to violence Interruption Programs
Chicago is at the forefront of a nationwide trend of decreasing crime rates, a development that has prompted various officials to claim credit.Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul attributes the drop to the effectiveness of violence interruption programs, stating, “A hundred million dollars for violence interruption – that works.” These programs strategically deploy credible individuals within high-crime communities to de-escalate potential conflicts before they escalate.
Though,John Roman of the National Opinion Research Centre at the University of Chicago offers an alternative perspective. He suggests that the decline in crime might potentially be linked to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local government employment.Roman notes that the number of local government employees nationwide saw a important decrease of over a million between March and May 2020, and has been gradually recovering since. He observes that current local government employment numbers now exceed pre-pandemic levels,and this increase in public sector jobs appears to correlate with the observed decrease in violence across the country.
Roman also acknowledges the role of corporate funding for violence interrupters and the implementation of more data-driven policing strategies,which he believes are contributing to crime reduction rates that have surpassed initial forecasts.He expressed surprise at the speed of this decline, remarking, “I mean, crime decline has been so rapid that it’s hard to imagine it continues at this pace.” While many elected officials are taking credit for these positive trends, Roman suggests that as long as the crime reduction continues, their claims of credit are acceptable.
Bill to Streamline FOID Cards for Low-Level Gun Offenders Awaits Governor’s Action
In related news,a bill that woudl simplify the process for individuals with the least severe gun offenses to obtain Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) cards has not yet been acted upon. Illinois SB 1899, which has passed the Illinois General Assembly, is currently awaiting Governor Pritzker’s decision.
This legislation would allow individuals with minor gun charges to participate in diversion programs as an alternative to criminal prosecution. Upon prosperous completion of such a program, as certified by a court order, they would be eligible to apply for a FOID card. State police would then issue the card once the felony charge is dismissed. The cook County State’s Attorney’s office has voiced its support for this bill.
