This map of police beats shows the percent difference in violent crime through the first six months between 2024 and 2025. Darker blue areas represent larger decreases in violent crime. Darker red areas represent violent crime increases.
In September 2024, Chicago cancelled their contract with Shotspotter which installed sensors all over Chicago to detect gunshots. Despite concerns that decommissioning Shotspotter would increase crime and gunshot related deaths, police beats with Shotspotter sensors saw a 17.76% decrease in violent crime and a 37.5% decrease in homicide.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling claimed the department’s hotspot analysis has helped reduce violent crime. Police beats with crime hotspots saw a decrease of 17.97%.
Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois have also increased investments in violence prevention programs, in particular Peacekeepers. This program trains community members as outreach workers to prevent violence. Areas with a Peacekeeper hotspot saw a decrease in violent crime of 20.46%, beating the citywide average.
There are of course other things that may contribute to a decrease in violent crime. Use the buttons below to explore the map yourself.
Map produced by David Hackett, Robert Vargas and Max Blasdell