Crime Drops in Kane County

For at least the last several years, the number of felonies in Kane County has steadily decreased.

State's Attorney discussed with reporters on Tuesday the numbers for 2011, which are showing that crime dipped in 2011, and the steadily decreasing trend in overall crime.

Preliminary numbers show a drop of 8 percent in felonies, while misdemeanors fell by 13 percent, from 2010 to 2011, according to an article in the Courier-News. The number of other specific crimes, such misdemeanor DUIs and traffic offenses, also decreased.

McMahon said there wasn't just one factor that has led to the downturn in crime, but aggressive policing and community involvement have been a large part of what's behind the trend.

For one drug-related crime, possession with less than 15 grams of a controlled substance, the number of incidences actually dropped from 511 in 2010 to 420 last year. According to the Kane County Chronicle, McMahon sees this figures as still being too high.

Looking forward, McMahon said pursuing a diversion program for nonviolent offenders, which provides mainly first-time offenders with a process for avoiding a criminal record, would create an avenue for still holding those people accountable and prevent a permanent black mark on their records.