Crime Trends in Chicago During COVID-19: A Closer Look

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many cities saw a drop in crime rates. But what was happening in Chicago? Researchers decided to take a closer look.

The Study

They wanted to see how different neighborhoods were affected by the lockdowns and social distancing rules. To do this, they used a special method to study crime data from different parts of Chicago.

Crimes Under Review

• Burglary
• Assault
• Drug-related offenses
• Robbery

The Findings

The results showed something interesting. Not all neighborhoods saw the same changes in crime.

• Some places had more crime.
• Others had less.

It was not a simple story. The researchers also found that the factors affecting crime changes were different for each type of crime.

Key Discoveries

• Some things that made burglary go down might not have had the same effect on assaults.
• One thing that always made a difference: the size of the population. Bigger neighborhoods saw more crime reductions.

Methods Used

1. Statistical Model: To see how crime trends changed.
2. Another Model: To figure out why these changes happened.

This two-step approach helped them understand the complex picture of crime in Chicago during the pandemic.