Crime in our Communities: We CAN Make a Difference
Last year was the deadliest year for Chicagoans in more than 25 years. In 2021, there were 820 homicides, virtually matching the 828 total homicides in 1995 and just under the total 931 murders in 1994. The total number of shootings last year rose by 8% over 2020 and 68% over 2019.
These are not surprising figures. Every day we hear about a killing, or more than one, and about multiple shootings in communities across the city. Frankly, many of us are tired of hearing about these figures.
But instead of wringing our hands and accepting that crime is a part of the human condition, we can find ways to do something about it in our own neighborhoods. And Craig Kaiser, leader of Streeterville Neighborhood Advocates, gave us a framework for doing that.
Speaking at the first LWV Chicago Briefing for 2022, Kaiser urged that we:
Stay informed and inform others about crime using such resources as CWBChicago and SpotCrime.
Engage and actively participate in community safety by working with Chicago district police or a community organization, evaluating the environment and targeting threats to safety (e.g., poor lighting, abandoned or dilapidated buildings), and paying attention to and quickly reporting suspicious activity.
Advocate for leadership among government, law enforcement, and community organizations that will identify and address the root causes of violence and crime.
With leadership, education, and engaged participation, “we can address” this issue, Kaiser said, but it “takes all of us.”