CBS Chicago reports that Chicago has opened the New Year with more homicides than it had in January 2016:
CHICAGO (CBS) — It was a violent start to 2017 in Chicago, with the number of shootings nearly duplicating the tally from the start of last year, which ended up being the city’s bloodiest year in nearly two decades.
Chicago police said January ended with 51 murders, one more than January 2016. About half of the city’s murders last month happened in three districts on the South Side and West Side – the Austin, Englewood, and Harrison districts.
At the White House, President Trump told reporters: “If they are not going to solve the problem .. then we are going to solve the problem.
“We are going to have to do something about Chicago. Because what is happening in Chicago should not be happening in this country.â€
Last month also saw 234 shooting incidents and 299 shooting victims – compared to 242 shooting incidents and 291 victims during the same time period last year.
Chicago’s entire strategy is based on two prongs: reducing the number of guns and increasing the number of police on the streets. IMO both prongs are doomed to failure.
Criminals will obtain guns; that’s just a reality. And without much more cooperation from civilians than the Chicago police are receiving due to decades of abuse it will take more cops on the streets than Chicago has or can afford.
Economic development, community support, and going after the gangs. These will work synergistically to reduce violent crime in Chicago and without them everything else is just wishful thinking.
