Staff Reports
The governor of Illinois seems to be enjoying his time in the spotlight, proudly promoting Chicago as a safe and vibrant city. Yet, folks living in Chicago might have a thing or two to say about that claim. Statistics present a reality that contradicts the rosy picture painted by the governor. For 13 years straight, Chicago has held the unenviable title of the city with the most murders in the U.S. This is quite the legacy for Governor J.B. Pritzker. People have been watching this trend for a while, and it doesn’t seem to be going away.
When compared to other cities with over a million residents, Chicago has been leading in murder rates for seven consecutive years. It’s a rather dubious badge of honor that stretches far beyond its borders. In 2024 alone, Chicago had a murder rate per capita that was three times higher than Los Angeles and nearly five times higher than New York City. To put it in a global perspective, that’s more than double Islamabad’s murder rate and 15 times that of Delhi. Yet, some would have us believe everything is just fine and dandy.
The numbers of reported crimes paint a clearer picture of Chicago’s struggle with crime. This year alone, there have been an astounding 147,899 crimes reported. Out of these, a mere 16% have resulted in arrests. Imagine a school report card with such a success rate; it wouldn’t impress anyone. The city’s ability to handle crime seems as effective as using a plastic fork in a steak-eating contest. To add insult to injury, more illegal guns have been recovered in Chicago than in New York City and Los Angeles combined.
The situation doesn’t improve when we look at motor vehicle thefts, which more than doubled from 2021 to 2024. Additionally, Chicago faces allegations of inaccuracies in its homicide data reporting, similar to Washington D.C. This raises pressing questions about whether the situation might be even more dire than the provided figures suggest. With all these glaring issues, one might think the governor would prioritize this matter over political appearances.
It seems like a simple solution is being ignored. Instead of sticking to his guns, perhaps it’s time for Governor Pritzker to put politics on the back burner and reach out for federal assistance. A little help could go a long way in cleaning up Chicago’s streets and providing peace of mind to its residents. It’s easy to maintain a sunny disposition from a safe distance, but those living with constant crime need real action, not promotional slogans.
