NCJ Number
175464
Journal
Compiler Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 1998 Pages: 4-7
Date Published
1998
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Between 1985 and 1997, the Chicago Police Department seized approximately 220,000 firearms, an average of almost 17,000 per year, while the number of firearm murders rose by more than 80 percent between 1985 and 1994.
Abstract
Statistics showed an alarming number of young people involved in violent crimes, and drugs and gang involvement were the two most influential factors in Chicago's murder rate. In 1994, the murder rate rose solely because of the increase in homicides associated with drugs and gangs, while homicides in all other categories significantly declined. By 1994, homicides associated with drugs and gangs accounted for more than 45 percent of all murders in Chicago. The police responded aggressively to the rise in violent crime rates through programs addressing drugs, gangs, and guns. The most important components of the police strategy involved street enforcement programs, gang prevention efforts, programs to remove weapons from the streets, and community policing. Social forces responsible for crime trends in Chicago are examined. 5 figures