February 4, 2026/

Illinois Quick Hits: Violent Crime down, arrest rates up in Chicago

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By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – New research from the Illinois Policy Institute shows that violent crime declined in nearly 90% of Chicago’s neighborhoods last year.

The report also shows that 71% of the city’s communities reported higher arrest rates for violent crimes.

Following a national trend, the number of violent crimes being committed in Chicago hit a 10-year low in 2025, declining from a peak of nearly 30,000 in 2023 to 22,760 last year.

FUR FARM BILL

State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, has introduced legislation that would end the establishment of new fur farms in Illinois.

House Bill 4777 would also require existing fur farms to obtain a license from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by Jan. 1. The Animal Welfare Institute says mink, foxes and other animals on fur farms incubate diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1, creating conditions for new variants to jump to humans.

CTU LEADER ON LEAVE

According to a member bulletin from the Chicago Teachers Union, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates is on temporary medical leave.

The bulletin said union vice president Jackson Potter will temporarily lead CTU along with recording secretary Vicki Kurzdlo and financial secretary Diane Castro. Gates is also president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

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