Recent Chicago Shootings Highlight Area's Growing Crime Problem

In April 2008, approximately 40 people were shot, and 12 people died, in Chicago. The worst part about it is that most of the killings happened in one weekend; 36 people were shot and 9 were murdered. Most of the shootings were from stolen guns and assault weapons. The majority of the shooters young men (black and Latino) who were younger than 21, and there were even fights with people being hit with bats.

Since then, Mayor Daley has fired the Truancy Department of the Chicago Public Schools, and Chicago police are now being given high-powered M4 carbine assault rifles. Apparently in high-crime areas, gangs and violent young people have acquired weapons more powerful than the police department's firearms. Mayor Daley believes that police are "outgunned" in these areas and that police should be able to match up with criminals.

While I do agree that the violence in Chicago, especially on the southside, was ridiculous during my own childhood, it's even worse now. According to the Chicago Defender, "the first three months of this year had 87 homicides, one less than a year ago." Segments of Chicago will have the S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics) team and helicopters flying around. Because the police are even more heavily armed and in high crime areas, crime has calmed down slightly, but residents have mixed feelings. While some are relieved that their areas are now safer and they don't hear guns at night, others realize that in a high crime area, police are even more on edge than usual.