Chicago police reported a 5 percent decrease in murders through the first six months of 2014 compared with the same period last year, says the Chicago Sun-Times. The 171 slayings were a 32 percent decrease from the unusually violent first half of 2012, and a more modest 8 percent decrease from the start of 2011. While citywide murder totals declined, the communities with the most killings in recent years continued to lead the city in slayings in the first half of 2014.
“We looked at these communities, and we've put additional resources into these communities,” said Robert Tracy, chief of police crime control strategies, who noted that the city also is providing social services to the areas in addition to law enforcement. While murders continued to decline, police reported an 8 percent increase in shooting victims through the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2013. Evelyn Diaz, commissioner of the Department of Family and Support Services, said her employees are working “hand in hand” with the police department. She also noted the work of community anti-violence groups. “There are so may different things contributing that we might never be able to see which is driving the results, and we are OK with that,” Diaz said. “We think the approach has to be everybody coming at it from different angles.”