Violence in Chicago
Violence denotes to be a major social problem in Chicago, and it has been increasing over the years. The social inequality is a major contributing factor to the level of violence in Chicago, and it affects many lives. Notably, the widespread of the violence in the city has made it difficult for law enforcers to control it. The issues depict to be a major concern as it undermines growth, impedes social development and threatens the welfare of people. Crime violence thrives in Chicago, and the causes are coined on political, economic and social factors. The forms of violence include robbery, muggings, and sexual assaults among many others. This paper is addressed to lawmakers and policy enforcers who have to initiate policies and strategies that will help in curbing the high rate of violence in the city which continue to devastate people. As such, Chicago is considered to be the most gang-infested city in the US and thus implementing the street intervention program will be a viable solution of controlling and decreasing the rate of violence in the city.
Background
Violence in Chicago has been a major social problem since the 20th century, and averagely, the rate of crime is higher compared to other cities in the US. Chicago saw a major increase in violence in the 1960s and cases of murder were high in 1974 where 970 people were killed. During this time, the population was about 3 million and indicated a 29% in every 100,000 died from violence. The problem worsened in 1992 where the city reported 943 homicide cases, and this was 34 murders in every 100,000 citizens. The cases of homicide decline in the 2000s and it resurfaced in the mid-2010s. The violence in Chicago range from robbery, muggings, shootings, killings, gang violence and rape. Many reports indicate that about 100,000 people are active members of about 60 factions. Besides, gang-related violence are responsible for about 61% of the homicides incidences. The journal "Gun Violence In Chicago" by Garbarino, James indicates how violence has been a major problem in Chicago. The author argues that “Chicago did experience dramatic increase in murders in 2016 and 2017” and that “Chicago killings that rise form confrontations have gone bad” (Garbarino 45). In 2016, violence was responsible for almost half of homicide cases, and certainly, the city's crime rate remains to be a historic law. Additionally, in 2014, the city reported 1775 shootings and 252 of these were fatal. The statistics are indeed alarming, and the high rates imply that nearly every day a person is killed through violence. In 2013, the Chicago city was the highest in murder cases where it reported 412 homicides and the statistics were even more alarming in 2012 where 503 murders cases were reported. In the same year, Chicago city gained national attention after a 15-year-old girl was shot and killed a week after she had performed in the presidential band.
Solution
A solution to the problem of violence in Chicago would be setting up Street Intervention Program (SIP) to help curtail violence. The program will be effective in reducing violence through actions directed at prevention, mediation, and intervention as well as violence management, particularly for the youth. The program will make the law enforcers to tour schools and communities to identify the underlining reasons why violence is rampant. It will also denote to be a mediator of gang conflicts, and it will advocate for peaceful solutions in times of disputes. The SIP officials need to work closely with the people especially the youths. The program will also focus on complex issues, parents, and school administrators and educate them on the impact that violence has on the society. More importantly, the program will help people who are already gang members to leave and realize positive outcomes and notably, the program will play a significant role in reducing violence.
Article Sources
In the article, “Six Ways to Stop Violence in Chicago Without Using the National Guard”, Gane-McCalla describes the crucial ways in which urban violence can be stopped. The source is a scholarly source as it provides in-depth writing of the violence cases that pledge many cities including Chicago. According to the article, one of the most effective ways of reducing violence in the city is through creating of more jobs, especially for the youths. The source reinforces that lack of employment is one major cause of violence. The author states that “Inner-city youth without summer jobs often wind up dealing with the temptations of the street and wind up joining gangs and participating in criminal activity” (Gane-McCalla). It also argues that strengthening of gun laws is a vital process towards decreasing the rate of crime. Gane-McCalla mentions that change in the culture of violence in the city is important and also programs that are geared to curb the problem need to be instituted. Moreover “the prison system is supposed to rehabilitate prisoners so that they can re-enter society” (Gane-McCalla). The article’s arguments are reliable, and if the solutions are employed, they will result in a reduction in gang violence in cities such as Chicago. Also, the article provides a lot of evidence used to support the claims, and it is also educational. Notably, if the actions explained are employed, they would denote to be a possible solution in curtailing and violence. Moreover, the ideas in the source are well described and explained, and hence it is a good source to be used in implementing strategic actions.
Jamilah in his article provides the reader with five facts concerning Chicago’s gun violence. The source elucidates the issues of gang violence that are experienced in Chicago and also notes how the issues are affecting many people. According to the article, numerous young persons in the city are experiencing trouble and in 2012 the police department “recovered more than 50,000 guns” (Jamilah). The source reinforces my argument that setting up programs will be a viable way of preventing violence among the youths. The source is a borderline scholarly as it depicts to have numerous details on the five facts. It is indicated that “Chicago’s homicides have mostly taken place in neighborhoods west and south of Chicago’s gleaming downtown towers” and thus highlighting to the reader how the problem is critical. The facts explained help the readers to understand more about Chicago violence and has solutions on the underlining topic.
ABC News article “Chicago Gang Violence” indicates statistics on Chicago gang violence. It illustrates the total number of people killed and shows that gang violence has been on the increase. The cases of homicides are elucidated, and the source is reliable. It is an eye-opener to the violence in Chicago as it paints a disturbing image showing how dangerous the city of Chicago is. The source has a quote that says “Don’t Shoot I Want to Grow Up” and the statement indicates how sad it is for a child who begs to grow up and not be killed through violence. The essentiality of the source lies in the fact that it provides statistics on what is happening in Chicago and the reasons why actions need to be taken. Chicago community is significantly struggling to keep children safe.
“Reducing Public Violence and Homicide in Chicago: Strategies and Tactics of the Chicago Police Department” is a book that highlights the changing violence problem in Chicago and mentions what needs to be done to prevent the devastating issue. The objectives and the strategies that need to be employed in order to make the city safer and less violent are highlighted. The source reports about public violence, homicide, community and the statistics that are experienced in Chicago. Notably, the source denotes to be helpful and reliable since it offers education to the reader on the statistic and possible solutions. The source is scholarly, detailed and educational.
Conclusion
Indeed, violence in Chicago is significantly creating havoc to the society. Unemployment along with other political and social issues are among the major factors that are contributing to the increase in violence. In the recent years, the statistics are alarming and this calls for the need to implement intervention strategies geared to reduce the epidemic. In this regard, employing the street intervention program will denote to be a viable strategy in curbing violence. The solution will work on impacting on behavioral change in the community. For this reason, the solution should be employed if the city aims at decreasing the rate of violence.
Works Cited
ABC News.“Chicago Gang Violence.” ABC News Network. 26 Feb. 2016. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/fullpage/chicago-gang-violence-numbers-17509042. Accessed April 16, 2018
Garbarino, James. "Gun Violence In Chicago". Violence And Gender, vol 4, no. 2, 2017, pp. 45-47. Mary Ann Liebert Inc, doi:10.1089/vio.2017.0013.
Gane-McCalla, Casey. “Six Ways To Stop Violence In Chicago Without Using The National Guard.” News One Six Ways To Stop Violence In Chicago Without Using The National Guard. Comments. News One, 30 Apr. 2010. http://newsone.com/478852/six-ways-to-stop-inner-city-crime-waves-this-summer/. Accessed April 16, 2018.
Jamilah King. “5 Must-Know Facts About Chicago’s Gun Violence.”Colorlines. Race Forward, 15 Feb. 2013. http://www.colorlines.com/articles/5-must-know-facts-about-chicagos-gun-violence). Accessed April 16, 2018
Rosenbaum, Dennis P., and Cody Stephens. Reducing Public Violence and Homicide in Chicago: Strategies and Tactics of the Chicago Police Department. Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2005. Print.
