Year End Calculus

With mere hours left in 2024, we wanted to post our usual note to illustrate how the year-end totals are accounted for and how best to compare this year to years past.

Our last post on this platform was back in May. Way to destroy engagement, jackass. Anyway, here’s some useful information on the upcoming year-end numbers that you’ll no doubt hear from the corporate press.

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Past year-end totals reflected on this site account for resolved death investigations, found bodies, and late passings that can and will occur for many years after the clock strikes midnight on Jan 1st. We apply those incidents toward the time of occurrence, not the date of death. Other agencies, such as the CPD, choose to add those resolved death investigations, found bodies, and late passings to the year in which the death was recorded.

Looking back at 2023, when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2024, the final totals for 2023 were:
Shot & Killed: 575
Shot & Wounded: 2,501
Total Shot: 3,076
Total Homicides: 644

Since then, the totals have shifted slightly as additional homicides have been recorded:
Shot & Killed: 577 (+2)
Shot & Wounded: 2,500 (-1)
Total Shot: 3,077 (+1)
Total Homicides: 650 (+6)

Looking back at 2022, when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2023, the final totals for 2022 were:
Shot & Killed: 665
Shot & Wounded: 2,937
Total Shot: 3,602
Total Homicides: 734

Over the two past years, the totals have shifted more so as additional homicides have been recorded:
Shot & Killed: 666 (+1)
Shot & Wounded: 2,937 (0)
Total Shot: 3,603 (+1)
Total Homicides: 739 (+5)

In addition to the known shifts over time, the Medical Examiner routinely listed homicides where we cannot locate a corresponding CPD report. These cases usually involve individuals who were injured at some point in the mid-to-distant past only to pass away today. These homicides are left out of our count because we do not have a definite date, time and location. This year there are 13 such cases.

Final note: All murders are homicides, but not all homicides are murder. We count homicides that occur within the Chicago city limits, whereas the CPD counts murders within their jurisdiction. Therefore, the two totals will never equal one another, we will always be higher, while they’ll always be lower.

Wherever 2024 finishes on January 1st when compared to the last 10 years, it’ll be an average year regardless how it’s reported – 6 years will be worse and 4 years won’t be as bad. Average will be considered average by most, but the best-ist evah! by others.

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Mostly Peaceful Merchandise

After 11 years, 2024 was the year that Chalkie finally made it onto a ballcap. If you’re looking for something Chicago to cover up that bald spot, use the code SUBSTACK10 to take 10% OFF your order. Thank you!

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Social Media

We do less social media than ever. These days we’re pretty much only on X, but we occasionally post stupid videos and even stupider graphics to Instagram. Check us out on these other platforms if you haven’t already done so:

X: https://twitter.com/w_h_thompson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyjackasschicago/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeyJackass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyjackasschicago
Homebase: https://heyjackass.com

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If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading. And remember “We don't want nobody nobody sent”.