Chicago City Wire

Paul Vallas, former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, has emphasized the need for stronger government collaboration and accountability in response to worsening domestic violence indicators. Vallas acknowledged recent efforts by local leaders in a statement made on X.

"Phenomenal Tribune editorial highlighting critical efforts to combat violence against women," said Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer. "For example: In Chicago, fatal shootings have risen 53% this year in domestic shootings and Illinois has more murders per capita than California and New York COMBINED. There is clearly a crisis long ignored. This is a stark reminder that even with O'Neill Burke and Snelling leading the charge to reduce violent crimes, combating domestic violence requires much more collaboration between governments and accountability for elected officials who have been simply ignoring these tragic cases."

Chicago leaders are intensifying their efforts against domestic violence as recent editorials and policies continue to highlight ongoing risks despite a decrease in overall crime. In February 2025, Illinois enacted Karina’s Law, which mandates the removal of firearms within 96 hours of protective orders. Concurrently, the city launched its Safe Transfer Program to assist survivors with relocation support. These measures followed editorial calls for stronger enforcement, according to WBEZ and the City of Chicago.

The City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard indicates that domestic violence accounts for over 100 homicides in 2025. Although overall shootings and killings have decreased by more than 30% from 2024 levels, these figures reflect both progress and ongoing threats to family safety. Midyear data has guided new funding and survivor programs, as reported by WTTW and city dashboards.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois’ homicide rate in 2023 was 9.8 per 100,000 residents, compared with 5.1 in California and 3.9 in New York. This underscores higher per-capita violence in Illinois and highlights ongoing prevention gaps, regional contrasts in firearm policy, and urban demographics influencing murder rates.

Vallas, who served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001, also led school districts in Philadelphia and New Orleans’ Recovery District. He later ran for Illinois governor and Chicago mayor, focusing on fiscal discipline and education reform throughout his career—a reflection of decades of public-sector leadership—according to WBEZ.