Law and government Chicago

1 law , government

1.1 government
1.2 politics
1.3 crime

law , government
government


daley plaza picasso statue , city hall in background. state law courts in daley plaza building @ right

the government of city of chicago divided executive , legislative branches. mayor of chicago chief executive, elected general election term of 4 years, no term limits. current mayor rahm emanuel. mayor appoints commissioners , other officials oversee various departments. mayor, chicago s clerk , treasurer elected citywide. city council legislative branch , made of 50 aldermen, 1 elected each ward in city. council takes official action through passage of ordinances , resolutions , approves city budget.

the chicago police department provides law enforcement , chicago fire department provides fire suppression , emergency medical services city , residents. civil , criminal law cases heard in cook county circuit court of state of illinois court system, or in northern district of illinois, in federal system. in state court, public prosecutor illinois state s attorney; in federal court united states attorney.

politics

during of last half of 19th century, chicago s politics dominated growing democratic party organization. during 1880s , 1890s, chicago had powerful radical tradition large , highly organized socialist, anarchist , labor organizations. of 20th century, chicago has been among largest , reliable democratic strongholds in united states; chicago s democratic vote state of illinois has been solid blue in presidential elections since 1992. before then, not unheard of republican presidential candidates win handily in downstate illinois, lose statewide due large democratic margins in chicago. citizens of chicago have not elected republican mayor since 1927, when william thompson voted office. strength of party in city partly consequence of illinois state politics, republicans have come represent rural , farm concerns while democrats support urban issues such chicago s public school funding. chicago contains less 25% of state s population, 8 of illinois 19 u.s. representatives have part of chicago in districts.

machine politics persisted in chicago after decline of similar machines in other large u.s. cities. during of time, city administration found opposition liberal independent faction of democratic party. independents gained control of city government in 1983 election of harold washington (in office 1983–1987). 1989 until may 16, 2011, chicago under leadership of longest serving mayor, richard m. daley, son of richard j. daley. on may 16, 2011, rahm emanuel sworn in 55th mayor of chicago. because of dominance of democratic party in chicago, democratic primary vote held in spring more significant general elections in november u.s. house , illinois state seats. aldermanic, mayoral, , other city offices filled through nonpartisan elections runoffs needed.

formerly state legislator representing chicago , later senator, city home of former united states president barack obama , first lady michelle obama. obama s residence located near university of chicago in kenwood on city s south side.

crime


chicago police department suv, 2011

chicago had murder rate of 18.5 per 100,000 residents in 2012, ranking 16th among cities 100,000 people or more. higher in new york city , los angeles, 2 largest cities in united states, have lower murder rates , lower total homicides. however, less in many smaller american cities, including new orleans, newark, , detroit, had 53 murders per 100,000 residents in 2012. 2015 year-end crime statistics showed there 468 murders in chicago in 2015 compared 416 year before, 12.5% increase, 2,900 shootings—13% more year prior, , 29% since 2013. chicago had more homicides other city in 2015 in total not on per capita basis, according chicago tribune. in annual crime statistics 2016, chicago police department reported city experienced dramatic rise in gun violence, 4,331 shooting victims. department reported 762 murders in chicago year 2016, total marked 62.8% increase in homicides 2015. in june 2017, chicago police department , federal atf announced new task force, similar past task forces, address flow of illegal guns , repeat offenses guns.

according reports in 2013, of chicago s violent crime comes gangs trying maintain control of drug-selling territories , , related activities of sinaloa cartel, 2006 had decided seek control illicit drug distribution, against local street gangs. violent crime rates vary area of city, more economically developed areas having low rates, other sections have higher rates of crime. in 2013, violent crime rate 910 per 100,000 people; murder rate 10.4 – while high crime districts saw 38.9, low crime districts saw 2.5 murders per 100,000.

the number of murders in chicago peaked @ 970 in 1974, when city s population on 3 million people (a murder rate of 29 per 100,000), , reached 943 murders in 1992, (a murder rate of 34 per 100,000). however, chicago, other major u.s. cities, experienced significant reduction in violent crime rates through 1990s, falling 448 homicides in 2004, lowest total since 1965 , 15.65 murders per 100,000. chicago s homicide tally remained low during 2005 (449), 2006 (452), , 2007 (435) rose 510 in 2008, breaking 500 first time since 2003. in 2009, murder count fell 458 (10% down). , in 2010 chicago s murder rate fell 435 (16.14 per 100,000), 5% decrease 2009 , lowest levels since 1965. in 2011, chicago s murders fell 1.2% 431 (a rate of 15.94 per 100,000). shot 506 in 2012.

in 2012, chicago ranked 21st in united states in numbers of homicides per person, in first half of 2013 there significant drop per-person, in categories of violent crime, including homicide (down 26%). chicago ended 2013 415 murders, lowest number of murders since 1965, , overall crime rates dropped 16 percent. (in 1965, there 397 murders.)

jens ludwig, director of university of chicago crime lab, estimated shootings cost city of chicago $2.5 billion in 2012.

in 2014, chicago police department reported total murder count of 390 through december 20, 2014, according chicago sun-times. means chicago able record lowest number of murder totals in close 5 years second continuous calendar year, despite overall increase in shootings. cook county medical examiner s office had reported total of 410 homicides 16 of including fatal police shootings, within same time period.