Chicago Reaches 500 Homicides (activity, murders, population)

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by emathias

We can blame crime on both of those, but the reality is probably that all three (violent crime, drugs and family breakdown) can really be traced to the prevalence of lead in the environment. That links goes to one recent article, but the link between crime and lead has been postulated and then documented for decades now, every decade the link being shown to be stronger and stronger. Cities, including Chicago, have been anti-lead for a long time, but Chicago is actually not anywhere near a leader in lead mitigation. If you want to make a long-term contribution to stabilizing minority families, making inner-city neighborhoods more appealing to the middle class, reducing violent crime and drug abuse, then call Rahm now and tell him that making lead mitigation a key plank in his platform is critical to the health of Chicago as a city. Then vote accordingly.

Yep, that and easy availability of proper contraception. These are actual real steps we could take for fairly nominal costs and with many studies and a large body of research and data to support them. These aren't the only steps that should be taken, but given how relatively minor investments into these things compared to what the projected costs of not doing them are, I don't see why there shouldn't be a push to do them.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Yep, that and easy availability of proper contraception. These are actual real steps we could take for fairly nominal costs and with many studies and a large body of research and data to support them. These aren't the only steps that should be taken, but given how relatively minor investments into these things compared to what the projected costs of not doing them are, I don't see why there shouldn't be a push to do them.

And access to legal abortion.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Yep, that and easy availability of proper contraception.

Originally Posted by Vlajos

And access to legal abortion.

Yes, and yes. Also, comprehensive sex education. I've talked to teachers of 5th through 8th graders in poor neighborhoods on the South Side who tell me sex ed is pretty much nonexistent (along with any other kind of education that isn't on the tests they have to teach to now). We should not be surprised that young poor kids get pregnant and continue the cycle of poverty until we address this at the very minimum.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

America's Real Criminal Element: Lead | Mother Jones

This seems like a more likely explanation than the decline of churches.

Just to add to that, here's an article about Chicago and lead poisoning

Chicago Slums and the Long Shadow of Lead Paint - The 312 - January 2012 - Chicago

I have seen the effect of lead poisoning on children in terms of learning disabilities and IQ, but never found this connection before. It seems to me that this is something that government could address and we could see if it did lead to a decrease in crime. It certainly would not hurt anything if we actually addressed this part of the problem.

[Just1Fan]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Where did I say I was expecting them to?

Right here. And, where I'm from, requirements and expectations are one in the same, i.e. to require white brothas and sistas to send an elevator back down, is to expect them to do so. I wonder what part of this you're missing.

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

it requires the people in power, most of whom are white, to "send the elevator back down."

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

That was sarcasm.

:chuckles: Oh, I see. Nothing like a little sense of humor when discussing the number one topic bringing down the black community. Now, catch-up with your crowd.

School's out.

[Chi-town Native]

Food for thought:

http://kusleika.com/breakfast/wp-con...2/beafraid.jpg

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Just1Fan

Right here. And, where I'm from, requirements and expectations are one in the same, i.e. to require white brothas and sistas to send an elevator back down, is to expect them to do so.

Please work on your reading comprehension. I was saying that's what would be required in order to address the problem. I didn't say I expected it to happen. These are absolutely not the same thing. If I say that for me to purchase a yacht today it would require me becoming a multi-millionaire in the next couple of hours, does that mean I expect it to happen?

Originally Posted by Just1Fan

:chuckles: Oh, I see. Nothing like a little sense of humor when discussing the number one topic bringing down the black community. Now, catch-up with your crowd.

It was you who made the pathetic attempt at humor with the horribly hacky and offensive "joke." I called you out on it. Somebody had to.

[Just1Fan]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

If I say that for me to purchase a yacht today it would require me becoming a multi-millionaire in the next couple of hours, does that mean I expect it to happen?

Well, that depends. All I know is, if you're at my dealership with the intent of purchasing a yacht, you better be expecting something. Because, I'm gonna be looking for my loot, i.e. pay me, pay me, don't delay me.

[Broadrippleguy]

Chicago has tough gun laws, but leads nation in gun violence | Fox News

on the front page of Foxnews.com
I think this more than verifies Chicago and its gun control laws DO NOT work!

[Aceter]

Chicago does not lead the nation by ratio in murders nor gun violence and because you have to consider cities of different sizes in the equation the highest number by ratio matters more than the highest number by volume. Gary was the murder capital nine years in a row from 1995- 2003. Why? Because it had the highest ratio of murders of any city with 100k or more residents.