Crime Trends

Crime reduction has been a major success story in our community, throughout Chicago, and in urban cities across the country. Violent crime in the Hyde Park-South Kenwood community (47th Street to 61st Street / Cottage Grove to Lake Michigan) decreased 42 percent from 2003 to 2012 and was down 9 percent over the past five year period, 2008 to 2012.


Violent crime trends

Hyde Park-South Kenwood
Total violent crime, 1998–2012

The following graph portrays Hyde Park-South Kenwood violent crime (murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery) from 1998 through 2012. Although there has been an occasional increase in violent crime comparing one year to another, a steady decrease in violent crime in the community is evident.
Note: from 2001 through the present time, all degrees of criminal sexual assault are included.

  • 1998 452
  • 1999 418
  • 2000 382
  • 2001 412
  • 2002 359
  • 2003 382
  • 2004 375
  • 2005 412
  • 2006 315
  • 2007 313
  • 2008 245
  • 2009 246
  • 2010 201
  • 2011 223
  • 2012 222

Total violent crime
January–December, 2008–2012

The following graphs compare total violent crime (murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery) for the years 2008 through 2012 in the UCPD patrol area and the Hyde Park-South Kenwood (HPSK) neighborhood.

UCPD patrol area

  • 2008 571
  • 2009 559
  • 2010 478
  • 2011 529
  • 2012 512

HPSK

  • 2008 245
  • 2009 246
  • 2010 201
  • 2011 223
  • 2012 222

Hyde Park-South Kenwood
Violent crime
Average per month 2008–2012

The accompanying graph illustrates the average number of violent crimes per month that have been reported in the Hyde Park-South Kenwood community over the past five years. Violent crimes occurred most frequently in May and the lowest average was in February. Over the past five year period covered, 66 percent of the violent crimes were robberies.

  • Jan 19
  • Feb 15
  • Mar 17
  • Apr 17
  • May 24
  • Jun 21
  • Jul 23
  • Aug 19
  • Sep 21
  • Oct 20
  • Nov 17
  • Dec 16

Rate of violent crime incidents per 100,000 population in Hyde Park-South Kenwood compared to Chicago’s 25 police districts
January 1–December 31, 2011

People often ask how the crime rate in Hyde Park-South Kenwood compares to crime in other areas of the city of Chicago. The accompanying graph compares the rate of violent crime per 100,000 population in the Hyde Park-South Kenwood community to the city’s 25 police districts. Caution should be used in making judgments based on this data. Crime rates can vary within police districts and are affected by several factors, including the amount of commercial activity in a community and its daytime population and evening visitor population. Please note the Hyde Park-South Kenwood community is part of the District 21 (Prairie); for comparative purposes, it is treated as its own district in this chart.

Sources: Chicago Police Department/UCPD