With few exceptions, the overall rate of violent crime - murder, robbery, sexual assault, and aggravated assault - in Illinois has increased steadily since the mid-1980s. Statewide, reports of violent index crime rose almost 44 percent between 1984 and 1991. This trend has been particularly evident in Chicago, where violent crime reports were up 47 percent during this period. In the rest of Illinois outside Chicago, violent crime has been on the rise as well, increasing 35 percent between 1984 and 1991. As violent crime has increased in Illinois, so has the use of firearms in the commission of those crimes, most notably the use of handguns. Like the overall rise in violent crimes, the increase in violent crimes committed with a firearm has occurred in all regions of the state. The purpose of this document is to provide Illinois state and local lawmakers accurate and timely information about gun violence so they can develop and implement better solutions to the problem. There are discussions of firearms and violent crime, violations of firearms laws, and guns in the schools. Figures, footnotes, references