In the first study of its kind, the Urban Institute found that police surveillance cameras in Chicago have had a noticeable impact on crime in the areas in which they are placed. The same couldn’t be said for Washington DC, however, and the report links the difference to the enforcement related to the cameras.

In cities who wholly integrate the cameras into their daily operations, crime should drop accordingly. The study, which looked at Baltimore, Chicago, and DC, showed this to be true. Both Baltimore and Chicago saw a drop in criminal activity in those areas where the cameras were while DC saw no significant change.

Chicago saw a drop of 12% in areas with cameras while Baltimore saw a decrease of 35%. The reason is that these two departments didn’t just hang cameras and go about business as usual, they actually staffed surveillance officers to monitor the cameras instead of only using them as an investigative tool after a crime had been committed.

Chicago police officers can actually link in to the cameras from their desk computers, watching the streets from in the department. The department hopes to make the technology available to officers on their Blackberry’s soon as well.

While officials in DC object to the findings, the research showed that their crime rates did fall in the areas with cameras but that they also fell in other areas throughout the city.

Chicago spend $.6.8 million on their camera system, with most of the money going to staffing.  But the program is said to save about $815,000 a month in criminal justice and victims’ costs.

Both Chicago and Baltimore credit their success with “saturating areas with as many cameras as possible and then aggressively pairing the technology with staffing,” according to The Crime Report. Simply hanging cameras and making the public aware of them wasn’t enough; they had to have real time enforcement and departmental integration for any significant impact to take place.

This study is interesting because there have been arguments on either side of the surveillance situation, with some saying there simply isn’t enough value in the cameras to justify the potential infringement on people’s privacy rights. If the research is legitimate, the findings are pretty remarkable.

What isn’t known is how the study arrived at the cost-benefits of the program. Did they account money saved to mean the officers who didn’t need to be on the streets because a camera was there in their place? Or are these savings strictly associated with the footage providing solid evidence in a criminal case, leading to a faster procession through the courts process?

The cameras, though they may be effective, are not fail-proof. If you are caught on camera committing a criminal offense, it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. Contact our offices today to discuss the details of your case.

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In a program known as Plan for Transformation, thousands of former public housing residents were spread throughout Chicago’s outlying areas when the longstanding housing projects came down. And since that migration, existing residents of these once quiet neighborhoods have blamed their new neighbors for an influx in crime and problems in their neighborhood. However, this report and countless others show that the new residents may have nothing to do with the fluctuations in crime.

One neighborhood where the debate is ongoing is the Chatham community. A middle class neighborhood, the original residents have said their new neighbors, clients of Plan for Transformation, have brought crime and violence to their once-quiet community. But, statistics show crime in Chatham has actually decreased since Plan for Transformation began.

In addition to an actual drop in crime, the presence of former housing project residents isn’t as widespread as the long time middle class residents would have you think. According to the Chicago Housing Authority, only 1% of the housing in Chatham is occupied by someone receiving subsidy vouchers from the city, vouchers that have allowed traditionally inner city families to experience suburban life.

The perception of increased crime and its conflict with the reality of statistics has led the city to commission a study by the Urban Institute to see once and for all how the Plan for Transformation program may have affected crime and quality of life in these middle class communities.

Susan Popkin, a senior fellow with the Urban Institute, and the one tasked with leading the study has said she is skeptical that there will be clear links between crime and the changes. “Part of the problem is that these neighborhoods are changing anyways, so not all of the poor people moving in are from the C.H.A.,” she says. “I think it’s become a socially accepted way to say, ‘My neighborhood is changing and I don’t like it.’”

When a normally quiet neighborhood sees evidence of crime or violence, they want to distance themselves from it and the people behind it, even if that person was once a friend. When you’re the one facing charges, this sort of distancing can be felt immediately.

If you are facing criminal charges in the Cook County courts or in another part of Illinois, contact us today for a consultation.

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Areas around Chicago are seeing a migration of gang members and struggling to keep crime in check as the supposed gangsters leave the city for a quieter suburban life. According to the Sun-Times, Sauk Village south of the city and areas like Northbrook, Glenview, and Palatine north of the city are experiencing similar influxes.

While these townships and areas often have their own police forces, the Cook County Sherriff’s Department is picking up much of the slack. Black P Stones, Vice Lords, Latin Kings, Black Disciples, and Gangster Disciples are just some of the organizations the Sherriff’s Department reports seeing more of.  And with this increase in gang members, they say, comes increased crime.

The gang members aren’t leaving the city to abandon their criminal ways, according to police. Instead, they’re moving because they know there’s less police in the suburbs, less chance they’ll get arrested.

Although the Sherriff is quick to say the newcomers in the burbs are from Cabrini-Green public housing, a housing authority spokesperson says there’s no evidence the elevated crime in these small communities is directly related to former public housing residents—stating in Sauk Village, only one is a transplant from the Chicago Housing Authority.

While there’s little doubt that an influx of gang members could have a potential negative effect on the crime rate, it’s a little silly to go on blaming “those project guys” as on Cook County Sherriff’s Sergeant calls them. Instead, the local police need to be preventing the crime rather than pointing fingers.

In one illustrated example, the police spot a 23 year old man standing outside in the 14 degree cold. They confront him and ask for identification. When he refuses, he’s slammed on the police car and searched. Though it’s all in an effort to keep the suburbs quiet—one has to wonder if this is the best method of crime prevention.

When it comes to gangs and police, it might be easier than you think to get caught up in a situation where you didn’t do anything wrong. If you know someone in a gang or know someone who knows someone, you could be seen as a potential gang member simply by being in their presence. And being a potential gang member is a great way to get hassled by the cops and potentially thrown on a police car.

If you’ve been accused of a criminal charge in Illinois you don’t feel that you should be held responsible for, a consultation with a defense lawyer should be your first step. Contact our offices today to discuss the details of your case and what your options are. Whether you’re in the Chicago metropolitan area or one of the surrounding communities, we may be able to help.

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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently did a feature on Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center, a unique prison designed specifically to help offenders who are incarcerated and battling drug addiction. As the article details, sometimes prison is the wakeup call that addicts need to get their lives straight.

The prison opened in 1995 and currently houses about 670 inmates. This prison is different from others in numerous ways but mainly in that the administration seeks to keep it a therapeutic atmosphere rather than one of handcuffs and prison bars.

Drug addiction poses a whole host of unique problems for the criminal justice system in general. A law abiding citizen can act out of character when they are infected with addiction. From thefts to assaults and other more serious offenses—drugs can lead people to do things they wouldn’t normally consider.

For many addicts, this particular prison is their last hope. It involves intense mandatory treatment every day. In addition, inmates are given strict release plans, detailing every action they must take upon their release. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough for some addicts.

When you are addicted to a serious drug like meth or crack, an arrest is often just the thing to shake your mind out of the addiction for a moment of clarity. Perhaps you are facing charges and have come to the realization that you need help with a drug problem.

There are many programs available in the state of Illinois, some of them connected with the courts. Prosecutors are often willing to make plea agreements when a defendant is committed to kicking a drug habit. Whether you are facing drug charges or any other criminal charge related to your addiction, I may be able to help.

The first step in finding out what resources are available to you is calling me. We can discuss your criminal charges and how we can best handle your case.

Contact me today for a free consultation.

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Oak Park Police Chief has come up with an interesting idea to help citizens fight crime. Whistles. Yes, whistles. He advocates members of the public carrying whistles so that in case of a robbery, they can sound the whistle, attracting attention and hopefully scaring the would-be robber away.

Think this is a joke? You’re not the only one. Many people are laughing at Chief Rick Tanksley’s idea and think the whole whistle blower idea is one that would’ve only been effective in years gone by.

This article from the Sun-Times points out a rise in robberies in the Oak Park area. They were up to 166 incidents in 2008 compared with 114 in 2007. That is quite a leap and definitely one that the chief of police should be addressing and making efforts to get under control. I am not convinced the whistles are the best answer though.

Chief Tanksley has even considered using tax money to distribute free whistles to the community. People like free things, but how many citizens would wear a whistle while awaiting a potential robber? Not many, I think.

More than likely those people carry cell phones and they are as likely to reach into their pockets to their phone as they are to locate and blow a whistle. It’s just not a likely solution for most people. The Chief needs to examine some other options for crime fighting.

Being robbed is no doubt a very frightening experience. Facing criminal charges is as well. Whether you have been charged with theft or DUI, we know you are facing tough times in the Illinois criminal courts. Call today to discuss any charges you may be facing and how we can help.

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