(The Center Square) – Crime is up in Chicago despite city-wide efforts – and more than $180 million – to reduce violence through a series of programs.
Republican state Rep. John Cabello said Chicago’s rising crime rate amounts to an indictment of the state’s present legal system and all its recent changes.
New data shows robbery, aggravated assault and aggravated battery cases across the city are all at five-year highs over the 12 months as the number of violent crimes overall have jumped by 7.2%.
“When criminals know that they’re probably not going to be held in jail because of the SAFE-T ACT they’re going to be a little bit more brave in what they do,” Cabello told The Center Square. “The arrests are down because the police are too afraid to do their jobs. They need to get rid of the SAFE-T ACT, no cash bail but for low level offenses and go back to what we were.”