Easter weekend, 45 people shot in Chicago, six of them children. (neighborhood, buying)

[Tex?Il?]

Three words: Prison industrial complex.

Considering Chicagos long history of unproductive patronage jobs, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if Chicago has an untold story of a greater involvement in perpetuating the prison industrial complex more than other cities.

Chicago also built more project towers than just about any other city. Could concentrating poor African Americans in large project towers be an analogy to the prisons, which the projects would supply to?

Chicago PIC Teaching Collective | Dismantling the Prison Industrial Complex through Popular Education

[Wicket]

Originally Posted by Freefall18

Is Rogers Park considered the South or West side?

You're safe. Not among "them" apparently. Breath easy and have a beer my friend!

[jman07]

Originally Posted by Stillers

No. Deeply ingrained in the city. Dating back to Al Capone, with his base in Cicero. Chicago has had a crime problem since the 1900s. Don't pretend like it started on the south side in the 90s.

Al Capone isn't around anymore. Cicero is not the north side. I live on the North Side. I haven't heard a gunshot yet. I haven't seen a gang yet. There is no gang culture from Irving to Downtown.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by jman07

Al Capone isn't around anymore. Cicero is not the north side. I live on the North Side. I haven't heard a gunshot yet. I haven't seen a gang yet. There is no gang culture from Irving to Downtown.

Well you've probably seen gang members, just not the stereotype thugs running in packs or something.

I've been here 13 years living in the city, north and northwest sides, car free and on transit every day - and I've never heard a gunshot and known one person who was a victim of any violance.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

I've been here 13 years living in the city, north and northwest sides, car free and on transit every day - and I've never heard a gunshot and known one person who was a victim of any violance.

Same here, but the same is also true of people I've known who live on the South and West sides. Some of the safest neighborhoods in the city are on the South Side. Even in the most dangerous neighborhoods, it's not like you see people getting shot outside your window every day, which is how the media makes it appear sometimes.

[Army_Guy]

Violence can happen anywhere, it's more in certain parts of the city than others, though.

I don't think the problem is going to be dealt with until the real root of the problem is addressed and the root of the problem isn't gun control, that's been proven not to work for many years. The politicians can blame the guns all they want and the citizens can ask for a policeman on every corner but it won't solve the problem.

Is the criminal justice system broke?

Are longer sentences the answer?

Who/what is to blame?

It's a shame when the majority of people in "bad" neighborhoods live in fear of the goons who have ruined the place.

[oakparkdude]

Its not a panacea by any means, but longer prison sentences for carrying a weapon illegally would make a significant difference IMHO. Currently, carrying illegally nets about 6 months in jail, versus several years in NYC.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by Army_Guy

I don't think the problem is going to be dealt with until the real root of the problem is addressed and the root of the problem isn't gun control, that's been proven not to work for many years.

It hasn't worked because Chicago is surrounded by places that practically give you a free gun when you cross the state line. Trying to have a gun-free city in the middle of a gun-obsessed nation is like trying to have a smoke-free booth in a cigar lounge or a pee-free zone in a Wrigley Field urinal trough.

That being said, I agree with you that guns aren't at the root. Poverty is at the root. Our nation doesn't show any desire to address that anytime soon, though, so I have a feeling we can expect more of the same in the future.

[chicagobear]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

Its not a panacea by any means, but longer prison sentences for carrying a weapon illegally would make a significant difference IMHO. Currently, carrying illegally nets about 6 months in jail, versus several years in NYC.

More punitive prison sentences would help. If inmates had to work on chain gangs or in work camps, they might think twice about committing crimes.

[Army_Guy]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

It hasn't worked because Chicago is surrounded by places that practically give you a free gun when you cross the state line. Trying to have a gun-free city in the middle of a gun-obsessed nation is like trying to have a smoke-free booth in a cigar lounge or a pee-free zone in a Wrigley Field urinal trough.

That being said, I agree with you that guns aren't at the root. Poverty is at the root. Our nation doesn't show any desire to address that anytime soon, though, so I have a feeling we can expect more of the same in the future.

Really?

Don't you realize that no matter how many laws they make, the only people affected by those laws are the law abiding and not the outlaws. I wonder how many of those guns used in shootings were bought by people like you and I, those who go to a store and fill out the background check form and have a check done...

With that logic, places with less strict gun laws would be war zones.

Stop blaming the tool and start looking at the people. How is poverty the problem? Are you saying that poor people are prone to gun violence?

There are plenty of poor people in the country who don't go around shooting others.