Chicago Police Prepared for Increased Gun Violence during Summer Months

 Posted on July 25, 2016 in Weapons

It appears the violence in Chicago, a city plagued by gun violence, shows no sign of slowing down. Compared to this time last year, the number of people shot in the city of Chicago is up 50 percent, and officials are worried. Summer is traditionally the most violent time period for Chicago, and city police say they have stepped up their efforts of combating gun violence.

So far this year, there have been approximately 1,400 victims of gun violence, and at least 244 gun wound related fatalities. At this point last year, in comparison, only 904 people had been shot, and around 150 of those victims were shot fatally. That significant increase is alarming, considering violent crimes tend to increase with the heat of the summer.

Summertime Violence?

Researchers nationwide have long studied the correlation between increasing temperatures and greater numbers of violent crime. In 2001, a paper released by a University of Iowa professor titled “Heat and Violence” stated that there is a 2.6 percent increase nationwide in assaults and murders in the summer months, and that hotter summers tended to have more violence than cooler summers. A study on the city of Cleveland conducted in 2010  found that hotter temperatures do indeed correlate to increased amounts of aggressive crime, specifically domestic violence and non-aggravated assaults, or those involving no serious injury or weapon use.

Some of the increased violence each summer can be attributed to temperature alone. The warmer the temperature outside, the more aggravated and irritable people can become, thus leading to violent attacks. An additional factor to consider is that when the weather is nicer outside, more people come out, meaning there is an increased likelihood of violence. As one Atlanta Police Department official stated “It just makes sense. More people out - more crime, less people out - less crime.”

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