Glossary

Editor’s note on how the data is counted and displayed:

  • Murders and shooting totals are updated within 24hrs; charts and tables within a few days.
  • Other violent crime data is typically delayed at least a week due to CPD reporting policy.
  • Gun related murders do not count towards shot and wounded metric.
  • Police shootings and justifiable homicides do count towards each metric.
  • Reckless homicides (involuntary manslaughter committed by use of a motor vehicle) are not included in the stats.
  • Shooting data is notoriously incomplete. Multiple gun shot wounds may be accounted for on graphic if data is known.

The Chicago Police Department’s definitions for violent and property related criminal acts are as follows:

  • Homicide: The killing of one human being by another.
  • Involuntary Manslaughter: The killing of another person through negligence.
  • Criminal Sexual Assault: Any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will or not forcibly or against the person’s will in instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.
  • Robbery: The taking or attempting to take anything of value under confrontational circumstances from the control, custody, or care of another person by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear of immediate harm.
  • Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon another wherein the offender displays a weapon in a threatening manner. Placing someone in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery.
  • Aggravated Battery: An unlawful attack by one person upon another wherein the offender uses a weapon or the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness.
  • Burglary: The unlawful entry into a building or other structure with the intent to commit a felony or a theft.
  • Larceny: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another person.
  • Simple Assault: An unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness.
  • Simple Battery: A person commits battery if he intentionally or knowingly without legal justification and by any means, (1) causes bodily harm to an individual or (2) makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with an individual.
  • Weapons Violation: The violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, concealment, or use of firearms, cutting instruments, explosives, incendiary devices, or other deadly weapons.

Additional crime definitions can be found on the CPD web site.