Violent crime rose nearly 40 percent in Aurora from 2019 through 2021; driven by aggravated assaults

by SAFE Winnebago County | May 13, 2022 | Chicago Crime, Crime Statistics, Illinois News, News & Events

Wirepoints recently reported on how Illinois’ fifth-biggest city of Rockford is struggling to contain violent crime. It’s up 26 percent since 2019. A look at the numbers in Aurora shows that Illinois’ second-largest city is in the same situation. City data shows that...

Combating Chicago crime: Volunteers to patrol Red Line trains Friday

by SAFE Winnebago County | May 13, 2022 | Chicago Crime, News & Events

CHICAGO – Teams of volunteer security officers and martial artists will ride the CTA Red Line on Friday, on the lookout for crime on the city’s busiest L trains, activist Tio Hardiman said Wednesday. Talking to reporters at the Red Line’s 35th Street/Bronzeville...

State’s attorneys say they’re concerned about end of cash bail

by SAFE Winnebago County | Apr 29, 2022 | Chicago Crime, Illinois Crime, Illinois News, News & Events

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGEM) – The elimination of cash bail is fast approaching for Illinois following the passage of the SAFE-T act in January 2021. Some judges have even begun the transition to no cash bail, but prosecutors are saying no cash bail will make their...

Only 15-percent of carjackers in Chicago have been arrested, study says

by SAFE Winnebago County | Apr 29, 2022 | Chicago Crime, Illinois Crime, Illinois News, News & Events

CHICAGO – City leaders blame the recent surge in carjackings on bored young people looking for trouble, and the Chicago Police Department says juveniles make up nearly 60-percent of carjacking arrests. However, one local expert from the University of...

Illinois carjacking bill falls short; organized retail crime measure more promising

by SAFE Winnebago County | Apr 8, 2022 | Car Jackings, Chicago Crime, Illinois Crime, News & Events

Lawmakers have already unveiled a weak measure to combat crime in Illinois by creating a task force, with an added provision for new spending on witness protection and a companion measure to modestly boost social programs said to target crime prevention. They’ve also...

Democrats offer another anti-crime proposal, this one on carjackings. Pritzker says ‘We are making progress’

by SAFE Winnebago County | Apr 8, 2022 | Car Jackings, Chicago Crime, News & Events

SPRINGFIELD — Democrats who control the Illinois legislature on Tuesday continued searching for common ground on issues ranging from temporary tax relief to crime as the clock winds down on a truncated spring session. In what’s become a daily occurrence in the run-up...