2017 Illinois DUI Arrest Statistics Released

 Posted on July 16, 2018 in Uncategorized

The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) has released its annual DUI arrest statistics for Illinois for 2017. Each year, the Schaumburg-based organization sends surveys to police stations across the state to gather statistics about DUIs. AAIM conducts the surveys with a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation and has been doing so since 1990, which is nearly 28 years. The organization said they received responses from 81 percent of the 700 police departments that they sent the survey to.

Last Year’s Arrest Statistics

According to the results of the survey, the Rockford Police Department was the department that recorded the highest number of DUI arrests in 2018. Rockford police conducted 490 DUI arrests in 2017, compared to 459 arrests in 2016, a 6.8 percent increase. Trailing Rockford were Elgin, Decatur, Cicero, Aurora, Lombard, Carol Stream, Springfield, Naperville, and Normal. Gurnee saw the largest increase in 2017, an increase of 40.7 percent.

The only department that was not included in ranking was the Chicago police department. Because of the size and number of arrests, it is in its own category. Chicago, which has over 12,000 officers, reported nearly 2,000 DUI arrests. This was a 23.5 percent decrease from the previous year.

Impact of Statistics

According to a press release from AAIM, the survey that is conducted each year encourages citizens to compare the DUI arrest rates of their local police department with the arrest rates of other police departments. By encouraging people to make comparisons between communities, public pressure can be a factor in encouraging and enforcing DUI crack-downs, which can aid in lowering the DUI rate. Though the problem of impaired driving is a many-faceted one, it can be reduced through law enforcement training and public awareness, two things that the statistics help with.

Contact a Joliet DUI Defense Attorney

Being charged with a DUI is no laughing matter-it is a serious crime that can cause extensive damage to yourself and others. If you are convicted for DUI, you could face expensive fines and could even be sentenced to jail time. Because of the high stakes you are dealing with when you are charged with a DUI, it is important that you contact a Will County DUI defense lawyer right away. The Law Offices of Jack L. Zaremba, P.C. can help you protect your freedom and your right to drive. Call our office at 815-740-4025 to set up a free consultation.