Coronavirus: crime becomes latest victim of global pandemic
- Cities across the globe have reported stunning drops in crime since measures were put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus
- Even regions with some of the highest levels of violence outside war zones have seen fewer people killed and fewer robberies taking place
The coronavirus pandemic that has crippled major high street retailers and family-run shops worldwide may be making a dent in illicit business, too.
In Chicago, one of America’s most violent cities, drug arrests have plummeted 42 per cent in the weeks since the city shut down, compared with the same period last year. Part of that decrease, some criminal lawyers say, is that drug dealers have no choice but to wait out the economic slump.
“The feedback I’m getting is that they aren’t able to move, to sell anything anywhere,” said Joseph Lopez, a criminal lawyer in Chicago who represents alleged drug dealers.
Overall, Chicago’s crime declined 10 per cent after the pandemic struck, a trend playing out globally as cities report stunning crime drops in the weeks since measures were put into place to slow the spread of the virus. Even among regions that have the highest levels of violence outside a war zone, fewer people are being killed and fewer robberies are taking place.
