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Offense Category

Homicide


What is it?

The killing of one human being by another.

What does our data show?

The number of first-degree murder cases dropped from over 500 in 2000 to around 250 in 2018. There are far fewer homicide cases filed every year than there are homicides because many murders go unsolved. According to Chicago Police data, the department cleared just 29% of homicides in 2016 and about 45% in 2018.

Charges

Detailed charts are unavailable for charges with fewer than 750 cases.

  • Felony
  • Misdemeanor

Race and Gender

This data shows that Black people make up the vast majority of criminal defendants charged in Cook County. Of the more than 3 million criminal cases filed in Cook County between 2000 and 2018, more than 61% were filed against Black people, even though Black people only make up 23% of the county’s population.

Research suggests the disparity has more to do with social inequity than an inherent link between race and criminality. Concentrated poverty in urban areas increases the likelihood of certain violent and property crimes, particularly in under-resourced, racially segregated communities. Black people are the most racially isolated group in Cook County and tend to live in communities where intergenerational poverty and violence, abetted by segregation, disinvestment, and institutionalized racism, have limited opportunities for many.

The disparities in charges also reflect inequities and racial bias in policing. Black people are disproportionately targeted for arrest. These numbers reflect overall trends seen in our era of mass incarceration, driven especially by law enforcement strategies such as Broken Windows policing, stop and frisk, disproportionate stops of Black drivers, and disparities in drug arrests.

Charges by Race and Ethnicity

Charges by race and ethnicity, men and women (7,812).

Black5,452 cases69.79%

Charges by race and ethnicity, men only (7,228).

Black5,095 cases70.49%

Charges by race and ethnicity, women only (549).

Black356 cases64.85%

Charges by Gender

Charges by gender, all races and ethnicities (7,812).

Male7,228 cases92.52%

Charges by gender, Black alone (5,452).

Male5,095 cases93.45%

Charges by gender, white alone (941).

Male817 cases86.82%

Charges by gender, Latinx alone (1,276).

Male1,220 cases95.61%

Charges by gender, other or unknown race or ethnicity (143).

Male96 cases67.13%

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