With a little more than 2,100 felony filings in 2015, Kane County prosecutors said the downward trend continues in the number of cases involving the most serious crimes.
Speaking at his monthly press briefing Tuesday, Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said last year’s preliminary statistics reflect a “consistent” pace of fewer felonies seen in recent years. The county reported nearly 3,200 felony cases as recently as 2010.
“I’m pleased with that,” McMahon said of the decline, crediting local law enforcement community outreach and relationship building efforts. “I think this has been good news.”
Where the serious crime is occurring also remained consistent as Aurora, Elgin, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Carpentersville and St. Charles remained the top five jurisdictions for cases filed by prosecutors. McMahon, who noted final statistics for 2015 will likely be available in the next month, said Aurora is expected to report an increase in gang-motivated shootings, while Elgin saw a decrease in the same category. Overall, Kane reported 11 murders last year, with charges filed in five of the deaths.
McMahon acknowledged it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for lower crime rates, which can be cyclical, but he believes police working with residents more closely in the county’s urban centers has made a difference.
“I think (Aurora and Elgin) are doing a good job of engaging with the community,” he said.
Other preliminary numbers shared by McMahon include:
* An increase in child support collections to a total of $25.8 million, up from $24.3 million in 2014.
* Domestic violence cases grew slightly, totaling 1,219 last year.
Looking ahead at 2016, McMahon said the county’s new case management system for court filings is expected to launch during the second quarter of the year. He also believes the rollout of police body cameras in Elgin, which received a grant to purchase the equipment, means this year will likely include the first prosecution involving video evidence from an officer-worn camera.
“I think it’s a good thing,” he said of the technology.
The cameras will help attorneys, judges and juries get a better understanding of what happens in a particular incident, but McMahon added there is an accompanying investment in time and resources – hours spent by assistant state’s attorneys watching video to find relevant portions, for instance – to consider as the cameras become more commonly used.
Dan Campana is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News