Chicago
We evaluated each city’s budget based on a full set of criteria as developed in the Reform/Transform toolkit in collaboration with policy experts and advocates. We assessed expenditures on policing and corrections compared to some of the resources and programs that truly keep communities safe: jobs programs, mental health services, and youth development programs. In each city, we looked at both the total operating budget and the general fund budget because each provides useful information: the general fund is the most discretionary part of a jurisdiction’s budget, over which local elected officials have most influence; the total budget shows all sources of funding.
City Data
-
2,722,586
Total Population -
20.6%
Poverty status in the past 12 months -
12,474
No. of Police
-
$608
Per capita police and corrections total spending
Racial and Ethnic Demographics
-
29%
Latinx -
30.5%
Black/African American -
32.7%
White, non-Hispanic -
6.2%
Asian
-
0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native -
0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander -
11.2%
Some other race -
2.6%
2 or more races
How much does the city allocate from the general fund (FY 2019) to the police and corrections departments versus community resources and programs?
-
$3,815,732,000
Total General Fund Allocation
Source » -
$1,547,165,891
Police Dept + Corrections Dept General Fund Allocation
Source »
40.5% of General Fund -
$90,070,855
General Fund Allocation to Youth and Jobs Programs
Source »
2.4% of General Fund -
$36,003,214
General Fund Allocation to Mental Health Programs
Source »
0.9% of General Fund
In the last 10 years, how much have general fund allocations to police and corrections departments increased, relative to the overall growth of the general fund?
How much does the city allocate from the total budget (FY 2019) to the police and corrections departments versus community resources and programs?
-
$8,954,208,000
Total Budget
Source » -
$1,656,000,251
Police Dept + Corrections Dept Total Budget Allocation
Source »
18.5% of Total Budget -
$634,118,741
Total Budget Allocation to Youth and Jobs Programs
Source »
7.1% of Total Budget -
$177,264,833
Total Budget Allocation to Mental Health Programs
Source »
2% of Total Budget
In the last 10 years, how much have total budget allocations to police and corrections departments increased, relative to the overall growth of the total budget?
Methodology
Center for Popular Democracy researchers evaluated each city’s budget based on a full set of criteria as developed in the Reform/Transform toolkit in collaboration with policy experts and advocates. We assessed expenditures on policing and corrections compared to some of the resources and programs that truly keep communities safe: jobs programs, mental health services, and youth development programs. In each city, we looked at both the total operating budget and the general fund budget
because each provides useful information: the general fund is the most discretionary part of a jurisdiction’s budget, over which local elected officials have most influence; the total budget shows all sources of funding. In some jurisdictions, the total operating budget and total departmental budgets included capital funds; we noted whether or not the budget analysis for each jurisdiction includes capital funds. Read more »