What is going on with all the gun violence in Chicago?

[bighart]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/chicago-shootings-9-kille_n_1833306.html


"Through early Sunday, more than 30 people were shot in Chicago, seven of them fatally. Prior to the weekend beginning, at least 17 people were wounded in gun violence Thursday evening, including 13 people shot over a period of 30 minutes."

[onehandle]

1. Guns imported from NRAGOP sponsored states. nt

[bighart]

2. According to the article that isn't the case:

"In an analysis released Sunday evening by the Chicago Sun-Times, a large number of the guns recovered from Chicago crime scenes are purchased in Cook County, contrary to the perception that firearms are being brought in from other states with less restrictive gun laws."

I keep hearing that statistically violent crime is declining so this craziness in Chicago seems out of the norm.

[Lurks Often]

8. Crime in Chicago is down

Found at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Chicago

Homicides in Chicago 1990-2011
1990: 851; 1991: 927; 1992: 943; 1993: 855; 1994: 931; 1995: 828;
1996: 796; 1997: 761; 1998: 704; 1999: 643; 2000: 633; 2001: 667;
2002: 656; 2003: 601; 2004: 453; 2005: 451; 2006: 471; 2007: 448;
2008: 513; 2009: 459; 2010: 436; 2011: 433.

A 24/7 hours news cycle, that murders as a head line leads to ratings/advertising revenue and that most news today fails to inform the viewer/reader fully, leads to the perception that somehow Chicago is MORE violent then 10 years or 20 years ago.

As for the causes, economic problems, social pressures, population densities and a hotter then average summer all have more of an impact then the availability of guns in "gun free" Chicago.

[B2G]

10. Violence in Chicago is nothing new

Homicides in Chicago 1990-2011

1990: 851[6]
1991: 927[7]
1992: 943[7]
1993: 855[7]
1994: 931[7]
1995: 828[7]
1996: 796[7]
1997: 761[7]
1998: 704[7]
1999: 643[7]
2000: 633[7]
2001: 667[7]
2002: 656[7]
2003: 601[7]
2004: 453[7]
2005: 451[7]
2006: 471[7]
2007: 448[7]
2008: 513[7]
2009: 459[7]
2010: 436[7]
2011: 433[7]

[Hoyt]

3. Hope something is done soon. Right wing gun crowd is using Chicago to encourage people to arm up.

That has long-term adverse implications for all of us.

Clearly addressing outdated drug laws, mental health, gun laws in surrounding areas, police presence, etc., are all better solutions than citizen militias trying to solve such problems.

[DonP]

4. One reason is there are 1200 fewer cops on the street than the police union contract calls for

Rahm is putting the money into "other ventures" while the police, fire and teachers unions are left holding the bag with either lapsed contracts, or in the case of the teachers union no serious negotiations under way.

There will very likely be a teachers union strike in the next 30 days.

The police have been calling for full staffing, but he won't allot the money for the cops that are needed. He's moved a few around and keeps trying to get away with double counting cops that have been transferred, but the Tribune caught on to that scam.

But ... there's plenty of money for new flower planters on Michigan avenue, fancy $$$ wrought iron fences around public buildings and any other high profile crap he decides he wants. Lots of bread and circuses.

In his defense, he inherited a broke city from Daley but he's not doing anything to improve the situation.

[bighart]

5. 1200 fewer cops would certainly contribute to the problem.

That is crazy in a city that size.

[guardian]

6. Pretty simple explanation: gangs

List of Chicago Gangs:

Black Disciples
Black Gangsters
Black P-Stones
Black Souls
Conservative Vice Lords
Four Corner Hustlers
Gangster Disciples
Imperial Gangsters
Insane Deuces
La Raza
Latin Brothers
Latin Counts
Latin Disciples
Latin Dragons
Latin Eagles
Latin Kings
Latin Pachucos
Lynchmen Sercaun Gangsters
Mafia Insane Vice Lords
Molotov Mafia
Orchestra Albany
Party People
Satan Disciples
Spanish Cobras
Travelling Vice Lords
Two Six People
Undertaker Vice Lords

Get rid of the gangs. Get rid of the culture that glorifies gangs. You'll get rid of the problem. All the silly ass loony ideas (such as taxing bullets, gun control laws, gun microstamping, etc.) won't do a thing to stem the tide of gang related violence. Legalizing drugs and taking the money out of drug crime would do more to stop gang violence.

[bighart]

7. Why the massive uptick in gun violence this year?

I understand much of it is gang related but the spike seems excessive this year.
1200 fewer cops would certainly be a major factor I would guess.

[guardian]

9. City Blames Fractured Gangs For Murder Spike

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/fractured-gangs-blamed-fo_n_1589148.html

Maybe it is the splintering of established drug gangs that has young men grabbing the tools of their trade – handguns – to jockey for position? Or it is that rival gangs, once miles apart in different public housing complexes, suddenly finding themselves sharing the same street corner?

[Rhiannon12866]

11. If I recall, Laura Bush was assigned to deal with the gang problem...

[joeglow3]

12. I would join Party People

They sound like a fun bunch.