Final answer:
Crime is generally trending down in this area of Chicago over the past two years, with motor vehicle thefts declining most dramatically.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether crime overall has been trending up or down in a portion of Chicago, Illinois over the past two years, and which specific crime has decreased the most between 2012 and 2013. Based on the given information, we can determine that option 3) Crime is generally trending down in this area of Chicago over the past two years, and motor vehicle thefts have declined most dramatically is the correct answer.
The provided references suggest that crime rates in the United States, including violent and gun-related crimes, have been decreasing since the 1990s. However, public perception does not align with this trend, as surveys show that people believe crime is worse now than it was twenty years ago.
The given information does not directly mention crime statistics for the specified portion of Chicago, Illinois, but it does offer insights into crime trends in the United States and the variation of crime rates by location.