North Center Ranks Low for Homicides in 12-Year Study

A recent study places the North Center neighborhood among those with the lowest murder rates during the past decade.

The New York Times analyzed more than 6,100 homicides within Chicago city limits from Jan. 1, 2001 through Dec. 24, 2012, according to its "A Chicago Divided by Killings" report.

Areas were determined to be near a homicide if two or more occurred within a census block group at any time in the 12-year time frame.

North Center was among those plotted on the map. A total of 16 homicides have been recorded since 2001, according to City of Chicago statistics. Of those, the most recent was on May 10, 2012. 

The Times reports:

"Residents living near homicides in the last 12 years were much more likely to be black, earn less money and lack a college degree."

North Center joined neighborhoods like Hyde Park, home to the University of Chicago, which the report indicates had less than one homicide per year.

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Among the city's deadliest places was Austin, where 450 homicides are listed, according to the map.

A recent Chicago Police news release indicates that the city finished 2012 with 506 homicides, which is 16 percent more than the previous year. 

"The total, 71 more than the 435 committed in 2011, was the highest for the city since 2008, when 512 homicides were recorded," reports CBS news. "At the same time, the rate of killings has slowed significantly since the first quarter of 2012 when the city’s homicide rate—more than 60 percent higher compared to the same period in 2011 ... —made national headlines."

The report states that the city will be focusing on both "intelligence gathering" and placing more officers on patrol. Doing so may allow authorities to track rival gangs, the story says. 

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However, according to a recent analysis of beat officers throughout the city, there are fewer patrolling the streets in North Center than before Rahm Emanuel took office.

While the nearby 18th District shows a loss of 30 officers, the 19th—it covers all of North Center—shows a decrease of 34, the report says. Both were among districts that lost the most officers.

Joining them were the 12th, 13th, 24th and with the highest loss of 79 officers, the 2nd districts.

The total number in Chicago has fallen by 108—a direct contradiction to Emanuel's inauguration promise to increase the beat officer ranks.

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