Crime Reporting in Chicago: A Comparison of Police and Victim Survey Data, 1999–2018

Objectives

A critical unknown in any jurisdiction is the scope of crime that is not brought to the attention of police. This study provides a unique comparison of Chicago crime rates using both police and victimization survey data. Levels of crime reporting and the reasons victims provide for or against reporting crime to the police are examined. Patterns are compared to those found for other large U.S. cities.

Methods

Data for Chicago residents from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) are used to estimate serious violence and burglary rates, levels of reporting to the police, and residents’ justifications for reporting or not reporting. Levels and trends in NCVS and Chicago Police Department rates of serious violence and burglary are compared.

Results

The NCVS data show that while Chicago residents typically experience higher rates of these crimes than residents of other large cities, they report these crimes to the police at mostly similar rates. Reasons for and against reporting these crimes to the police are generally similar to victims elsewhere.

Conclusions

Despite a documented history of distrust in the police, Chicago residents do not appear to have notably lower rates of reporting serious violence or burglary to the police than residents of other large cities.