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TechnographSerious crimes in Illinois drop overall, but murders, thefts climb
By The Associated Press
Posted: 9/17/07 Section: News
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Serious crime in Illinois fell again last year, but murders rose unexpectedly and violent crime was more of a problem in rural parts of the state, new state data shows.
Police throughout Illinois reported 467,372 violent and property crimes in 2006, a 1.7 percent drop from the year before and part of a multiyear trend of declining offenses.
But murders were up for the first time in five years, thanks to a doubling in rural counties and an increase in the Chicago area. Robberies increased more than 2 percent and violent crime in rural areas went up for the fourth time in five years.
Meanwhile, arrests dropped significantly statewide, with murder arrests down 16 percent and drug arrests dipping slightly.
State officials say they're pleased that overall crime numbers continued to improve but other trends are a reminder that police can't be complacent.
"All of law enforcement must remain diligent in its responsibility of keeping our communities safe," State Police Director Larry Trent said in a statement. "Our goal continues to be a significant decrease in all of the reported offenses."
The differences in results among different regions and counties were significant.
Serious crime declined in 53 Illinois counties and increased in 48 counties. Twenty-five counties had more murders than in 2005, while 17 had fewer.
Murders were down just under 1 percent in Illinois' urban counties, even though Chicago murders increased to 467 in 2006 from 450 in 2005 - nearly 4 percent.
In rural areas murders doubled to 30 from 15, but the total was similar to totals posted in years before a big drop to 15 in 2005.
A huge population difference between urban and rural areas also skewed the statewide results. For example, murder arrests were up 116 percent in rural areas but down 20 percent in the urban counties, sending the statewide total down 16 percent from 2005.
David Olson, head of the criminal justice department at Loyola University in Chicago, said fewer murder arrests could indicate murders are becoming harder to solve, with witnesses unwilling to testify in gang shootings, for example.
Police throughout Illinois reported 467,372 violent and property crimes in 2006, a 1.7 percent drop from the year before and part of a multiyear trend of declining offenses.
But murders were up for the first time in five years, thanks to a doubling in rural counties and an increase in the Chicago area. Robberies increased more than 2 percent and violent crime in rural areas went up for the fourth time in five years.
Meanwhile, arrests dropped significantly statewide, with murder arrests down 16 percent and drug arrests dipping slightly.
State officials say they're pleased that overall crime numbers continued to improve but other trends are a reminder that police can't be complacent.
"All of law enforcement must remain diligent in its responsibility of keeping our communities safe," State Police Director Larry Trent said in a statement. "Our goal continues to be a significant decrease in all of the reported offenses."
The differences in results among different regions and counties were significant.
Serious crime declined in 53 Illinois counties and increased in 48 counties. Twenty-five counties had more murders than in 2005, while 17 had fewer.
Murders were down just under 1 percent in Illinois' urban counties, even though Chicago murders increased to 467 in 2006 from 450 in 2005 - nearly 4 percent.
In rural areas murders doubled to 30 from 15, but the total was similar to totals posted in years before a big drop to 15 in 2005.
A huge population difference between urban and rural areas also skewed the statewide results. For example, murder arrests were up 116 percent in rural areas but down 20 percent in the urban counties, sending the statewide total down 16 percent from 2005.
David Olson, head of the criminal justice department at Loyola University in Chicago, said fewer murder arrests could indicate murders are becoming harder to solve, with witnesses unwilling to testify in gang shootings, for example.
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mklmsw
Mary Kay Longwell
posted 9/17/07 @ 5:52 AM CST
"Serious crimes in Ill. drop but murders, thefts climb"
OK, did you even read your headline? Would you say, at the very least, oxymoron? You've made yourself a candidate for inane newspaper headlines on the Tonight Show. (Continued…)
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