Criminal sexual assaults, aggravated assaults, and motor vehicle thefts have shown the greatest year-over-year increases in Lakeview as well as the 44th ward according to analysis of city crime data by CWB Chicago editors.
In fact, more criminal sexual assaults were reported here through October 15 than in any other year in the public database, which dates back to 2001. Criminal sexual assault is Illinois’ legal term for rape.
Lakeview has seen 5% fewer police reports filed this year while the 44th ward has seen a 4% drop. The biggest contributors to the drop in both areas has been a reduction in burglaries.
If police report volume is to be believed, people aren’t doing drugs as much anymore, either (ahem). Both the 44th ward and Lakeview as a whole have seen 25% reductions in dope cases.
Here’s how reported crime in the 44th ward and the entirety of Lakeview stack up through October 15 of this year when compared to the same time period in 2014.
44th Ward
In the 44th ward, which covers nearly all of our hood plus nearby areas of Lakeview, there there were 140 fewer police reports taken this year than in 2015. A 4% drop.
Roughly half of the drop is due to a decline in the number of theft reports filed. Of course, these are statistics from a police department that sometimes refuses to record theft of packages as being theft, so you can take that for what it’s worth.
Contributing equally to the drop is a reduction in burglaries—thefts from homes and garages. Interestingly, though, the number of crimes categorized as less-serious “theft from building” has increased 50% since last year.
On the other hand, criminal sexual assault is at an all-time high, with 29 cases reported this year.
Aggravated assault, which are generally threats to harm someone while brandishing a knife or handgun, are up 38% this year; motor vehicle theft is seeing a 19% surge; and aggravated battery—causing great physical harm to a person—is up 17%.
The record-high robbery rate in Wrigleyville and Boystown saw a dramatic improvement in 2014. But those improvements stalled out this summer and are now showing signs of worsening with September recording a near 100% increase in muggings.
Lakeview
