+

+

Gun Violence in

Chicago

Gun Violence in Chicago Target: Englewood

Gianna Miller

2

Table of Contents

1

Executive Summary…1

Who Are We… ………2

Introduction…………..3

Purpose……………….4

Project Context……...5

Methodology…..…….6

Findings………………7

Recommendations….13

Implementation…….17

Reference:………….19

2

Acknowledgement….21

Appendix…………..22

+

3

Target: Englewood Executive Summary

This is a comprehensive document addressing

gun violence specifically in the Englewood

neighborhood. There are several experts observations

incorporated into the study including. Experts include

interviews from Vance Henry the Deputy Chief of Staff in

the Mayor’s Office for Community and Faith-based

Initiatives, and Pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist

Church in Englewood, Pastor Gerald M. Dew, and

Alderman Cochran. I gathered information through

research and from the community via a 10-question

survey. I have pin pointed a number of factors of gun

violence comprising of stress, gangs, drugs, and the

status of the economy. I have made four

recommendations of how we can address and handle

these factors. The first recommendations is for more

before and afterschool programs and summer

enrichment programs. This will not only get youth off the

streets but also further their education. The second

recommendation is to board up abandoned building

and remove graffiti from them. As I learned, gangs use

these building to house their illegal items such as drugs

and guns. They mark these building using graffiti to

signal to other gangs that this property is “taken”. The

third recommendation is to provide more lighting. Some

streets in Englewood are poorly or not lit at all. This

makes these areas subject to an increased possibility of

violence. Adding street lamps would increase visibility.

I also suggest that camera’s are added to these street

lamps so the police have an extra tool to use when

patrolling and trying to control crime My last

recommendation is for more community discussions and

awareness of gun violence.

+ People need to be more

aware of the results and affects of

gun violence. To implement these

recommendations several steps will

have to be taken. Chicago has a

service that removes graffiti from

property for free. After the graffiti is

removed, the abandoned buildings

should be cleaned out and boarded

up until something further can be

done with them. To educate the

public I suggested PSA’s on the

radio. They should start off on radio

stations such as B96 because they

broadcast to the targeted audience

of teens and people in there

twenties. To receive more lighting a

letter will have to be written to the

Aldermen in the Englewood area. It

would be more powerful if there

were signatures from several

members of the neighborhood. The

school programs, should be held on

school campus after school from 4-6.

Students will be able to find extra

help on schoolwork or participate in

sports clinics.

4

Target: Englewood

+

A brief biography My name is Gianna Miller and I attend the Latin School of Chicago. I am enrolled in the Global Online Academy: Urban Studies. The goal of the Global Online Academy (GOA) is to connect students from around the world and allow them to learn and discuss global issues. These global connections will be and are becoming the norm in our society and GOA is preparing us students for it today.

In the Urban Studies class, we are finding our strengths and weaknesses as leaders while discovering how urban planning has shaped our cities and the issues within them. This course encourages us to make a difference in our community and with this plan I hope to do so.

5

+ Introduction

The goal of my plan is to raise

awareness and provide solutions

to the gun violence epidemic in

the Chicago neighborhood of

Englewood. I thoroughly

researched cases and statistics in

both Englewood and other

cities/neighborhoods across the

country to get a background on

the issue. My next step involved

interviewing professionals and

experts specifically about gun

violence in Englewood. With all

the gathered information I

constructed a plan that highlights

the factors of gun violence and

provides recommended solutions

to each.

6

Purpose

+

Facebook, Twitter, newspapers and magazines, it’s the media that surrounds us everyday and everyday there are reports of shootings and loved ones lost as a result. I am tired of hearing about the sons and daughters, moms and dads that are being killed daily as a result to gun violence, I felt the need to do something. This problem is financial, institutional, and cultural. I am addressing the problem of gun violence, specifically in Englewood, a south side neighborhood in Chicago.

7

+ Project Context History and Status of Gun Violence in Chicago and Englewood

Gun violence in Chicago and specifically the south side neighborhood of Englewood is not a new topic of discussion. For decades homicide rates alarming and some the highest in major cities in America. Englewood is one of the most dangerous and violence prone neighborhood in the Chicago land area. In 2011, Englewood, along with one other neighborhood Harrison, accounted for 25% of the cities total homicide rate. Currently, the overall murder rate in Chicago has decreased meanwhile; the murder rate in Englewood has increased. A lot of the problem is due to the economy. There is an abundance of vacant buildings. These spaces end up being a breeding ground for illegal activity and they bring the property value of surrounding establishments down. People are also stressed from unemployment and do not handle their emotions well. Gun violence is an extremely prevalent problem.

+

+

Methodology

1

I realize that gun violence is an epidemic that will be difficult to solve. Therefore, I had to identify the social and environmental conditions that encourage and allow gun violence. I identified these issue with surveys, researched statistics, and interviews.

2

I contacted the pastor of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Vance Henry from Mayor’s Office, and one of the alderman's of Englewood's ward Alderman Willie Cochran. These experts have provided me with insight information to help my research. I have also used the information I gathered from case studies to compare and contrast Englewood's situation. I have incorporated the information that I learned from other cities (programs that have/have not worked) and see if they can be used in Englewood.

I had the opportunity to conduct a survey to receive community input. Through my research I have found various useful statistics and put them together in a comprehensive chart to compare conditions in Englewood to the rest of Chicago. I analyzed my results and filtered my findings to have information to propose solutions. To solve the problem there will need to be a collaborate effort between the federal, state, and city governments, the faith-based community, and community leaders.

9

I surveyed people who live in Englewood to get community input. I asked them three questions regarding their opinion on gun violence. These were the results:

Findings: Survey

When asked if they or anyone they knew had been affected by gun violence 70% answered yes.

When asked what they think the City of Chicago should do to end gun violence 90% of the people mentioned getting the youth off the streets and finding more activities for them to do and 20% mentioned an increase in police patrolling the areas.

When asked if they believed gun violence was on the rise or decline 100% said it is on the incline.

10

I took the statistics

from both

Englewood and the

rest of Chicago and

brought them

together in a unified

chart.

Comparisons Englewood vs. Rest of Chicago

Findings: Statistics

It’s everywhere. Guns

and violence are in

every nook and cranny

of America. Many

children can get a gun

quicker than a book

out of the library. That

outs us all at risk.

Pellentesque ullamcorper ultricies turpis. Integer est. Sed nec lacus. Nunc est.

dolor

Aenean diam velit, rutrum vitae, tempor ut, sodales eget, mauris. Sed nec lacus.

lorem

Maecenas et lorem. Ut et nisl id turpis varius faucibus. Integer et felis. Sed libero.

dolor

Findings: Statistics

-Marian Wright Edelman

This visual comparison

allows an easier way to

view the vast differences in

the three major categories:

poverty, unemployment,

and vacant buildings.

11

+ Findings: Interviews

Faith-Based Community: Pastor Dew

My interview with Pastor Gerald M. Dew was successful. He is the pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, a church that is centrally located in Englewood and in the heart of gun violence’s threat. He informed me that gun violence is due to things

such as gangs and drugs, and factors that I did not consider such as stress and the economic decline. With the difficulty of paying bills and finding jobs, people are stressed. With his or her fuse already short, any little thing can set someone off. Sadly with the easy access to guns, these out lashes are incorrectly handled resulting in shootings and fatalities. Pastor Dew

informed me that faith-based community has taken several steps to address gun violence. The same day I interviewed him, Pastor Dew had a meeting with the police superintendent. Together they "developed a comprehensive response for Englewood". Pastor Dew said it "is going to take more then police force to face the community". In the past the police force increase there number of officers in the area initially there was a decrease in crime. As time went on, this increased presence became the norm and crime resumed to its original rate. The church, in collaboration with a local basketball gym, hosted Midnight Basketball. As the title implies this was a program where youth

(continued)

12

+ Findings: Interviews

were able to play basketball at midnight. The gym was open on Friday and Saturday nights to provide a safe environment for youth to be and also gave them something to do. This kept them out of dangerous places and from doing illegal activity.

City of Chicago: Vance Henry

I also had the pleasure of interviewing the Deputy Chief of Staff of Community and Faith-Based Partners, Vance Henry. I asked him what he believed the factors of gun violence were. Similar to Pastor Dew's response he said the availability to guns, narcotics, gangs activity, poverty and unemployment are key factors in gun violence. Deputy Henry said the police are doing several things to address gun violence. For example, they are trying to improve or in some cases providing more lighting to the streets. Dimly lit/dark streets cause criminal activity. With the hope that light will slow down this activity city workers are repairing and putting up more street lamps. The police are also aware that abandon building are contributing to the problem. These building are where criminals house their drugs and guns. In response the police are boarding up building. Graffiti is used by gangs to mark their "property". In addition to boarding up buildings, city workers are power washing the graffiti off them. As demonstrate through Deputy Henry's response, the condition of the city plays a major role on the gun violence and illegal activity.

13

+ Findings: Interviews

Lastly, I interviewed one of the Aldermen in Englewood community Alderman Cochran. Again, I asked what he believed the factors of gun violence were. "Availability to guns, poor character development, and lack of assessment " Alderman Cochran responded. I was intrigued by how response and further questioned it. I asked what he meant by poor character development. "If you had some [character] you wouldn't be shooting people.[It] doesn't matter how bad your life is, you don't shoot people". I asked him what could be done to improve the development. Alderman Cochran said there should be special assessments in school that determine what kind of psychological impact events had on people. Alderman Cochran proposed that schools should annually test their students on their mental state. "The instruments [needed to conduct the test] are available in the school space. [This] allows is to address the problems that aren't addressed". He later went on to say that the lack of these tests could be what leads to the manifestation of poor character development. Alderman Cochran also believed personal relationships are factors of gun violence and would like more statistics to be conducted. The police department has implements programs that teach sports after school. There have been summer programs and tutoring programs. Alderman Cochran states, " We need people to respect social and moral standards".

Local Government: Willie Cochran

" We need people to respect social

and moral standards"

-Alderman Cochran

14

+

+

Lorem

Educate: Not only the citizens of Englewood

but also Chicago. Everyone should be

informed on gun violence and its affect.

Educate/Community discussions and awareness

Recommendations: Educate/ Community discussions and awareness

Based on my finding I have

made the following

recommendations. However, it

must be kept in mind that gun

violence is an epidemic and

there is no quick fix. There will

need to be input from the

community, the city, and the

faith-based community. My

recommendations are meant to

be a starting point to this long-

term effort.

“A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.”

-Horace Mann

15

Set up programs: To prevent up and coming youth from being drafted into gangs we need to provide alternative activities for them to do. Before and after school programs need to be set up. Before school programs can allow students to come in early and have a safe place to continue their studies. There should be tutors and teachers here to assist students who may need extra help. After school programs should also be places where students can continue their studies and have opportunities to receive help on work. After school, programs could also be used as sports programs. Students can learn how to play various sports that they might have not otherwise considered (basketball, football, etc.) and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Participants will go through two weeks of learning the different fundamentals in three sports. After the two weeks, they can choose their favorite where they will further learn the sport. While learning the sports, participants will learn the importance of maintaining a healthy body. They will learn about nutrition and the devastating affects drugs and steroids.

Recommendation: Programs

16

Recommendation: Clean up Englewood

& Brighten

Englewood

The City of Chicago should assign a special clean up team to

remove graffiti and board up abandoned buildings. The Graffiti

Blaster service can be used. Started in 1993 by Mayor Daley this

service is free. The graffiti is a way gangs mark their "property"

where they store their drugs and guns. Taking down the graffiti

removes the identity and boarding the buildings takes away their

storage. These new building can be turned into youth buildings.

Clean Up Englewood

Brighten Englewood

Brighten Englewood: In order to increase visibility on Englewood's

streets the city of Chicago needs to repair and install more streetlights.

They should also add cameras on every corner. Adding these cameras

will not be an extra tax on the citizens and will allow the police to

surgery the area better. The city has developed a fiber network, which

allows them to the ability to expand their camera network.

17

Implementation

+ Educate/Community Discussion and Awareness: There should be more

PSA's about gun violence and its affect not only on Englewood and Chicago but

the entire United States as gun violence is a nation wide epidemic. I believe the

most affective announcements are made on the radio. Local Stations such as B96

and Kiss FM would be ideal stations since their targeted audience is primarily

young adults, the age that gun violence affects the most. Another effective way

to spread the word would me to make a video and post it on YouTube. As seen

with the Stop Kony 2012 video created by invisible children well thought out

comprehensive videos are what spread the easiest. I believe this video went

viral because not only did it bring to light the atrocities occurring in Uganda but

also it gave the history of the child abduction/soldiers, the status, and gave

multiple ways people can help. In PSA's the audience needs to know what they

can do to help. There should be a community discussion once a month at the

aldermen’s office. Here members can report the progress of the fight against

gun violence along with other issues in the community. These discussions will

help unite Englewood and ensure everyone’s opinion is voiced.

Clean Up Englewood: This

should be the easiest

problem to address, as

there is already a free

program in place for graffiti

removal. If no further use

can be decided for these

spaces they should be

boarded up. We can gather

volunteers to board up the

building over the course of

a on or two weekends.

18

Implementation

Set Up Programs: Antioch

Missionary Baptist Church has

performed a successful job of

hosting a youth program with

their Midnight Basketball. It's

success shows that the youth

will attend these programs if

they are catered to what they

want and enjoy. Attendance is

a major factor in youth

programs. Not only do they

need to be organized and well

maintained, but the best

interest of the people

attending needs to be kept in

mind if we want youth to

continually come. I believe we

should start with after school

programs and based off it's

success continue to build from

there. The program should

start be held at the school

starting at 4 p.m. starting in the

2012-2013 school year. They

should end at 6 p.m. During

these programs, students will

be able to receive help from

tutors and/or participate in

The ideal tutor would be a

volunteer. An incentive for

people to volunteer is to be

apart of a movement to end

gun violence and hours

tutoring could count

towards service learning

requirements. If there

aren’t an adequate number

of volunteers the funding

will come from the

Chicago Public School’s

budget for afterschool

programs.

Brighten Englewood: A

petition started and signed

by community residents

will be brought to the

alderman's attention. The

proposal would state the

lack of street lighting and

its affect on Englewood.

Funding should not be an

issue in Brighten Chicago

since the money comes

from the City's budgets as

it is their duty to provide

lighting for residents.

Continued

19

The proposal should also

include the request to put

cameras on each streetlight.

There should be statements

from officers should be

implemented to enforce the

idea of street cameras, since

they will greatly benefit the

police department and their

crackdown on gun violence.

Implementation (Continued)

References:

March 27: Interview with Pastor Gerald M. Dew. He explained to me the importance the

Church in Englewood. He told me what he thought the factors of gun violence were and

past programs, the church has hosted in order to get youth off the streets.

March 30: Interview with Deputy Vance Henry. He discussed the tactical measures the

police department was taking to address gun violence. I became aware of the lack of

street lighting and how the Police department is trying to combat the problem of

abandoned building/ cars being used by criminals to store their illegal possession. He

told me that they use graffiti to mark their "territory"

April1: Interview with Alderman Willie. B Cochran.

Unemployment & Poverty: US Census ACS Community Survey 5 year estimated 2006-

2010 Vacant Buildings: 2010 Census Anti-Violence and Community Stabilization

Community Engagement Template: Helping Hands of Englewood Executive Committee

Meeting March 7, 2012

(continued)

Continued

20

+

References:

1."2 Cops Among 67 Shot in Weekend Violence; Teen and 56-Year-Old Bystander Killed | NBC New York." New York News, Local News, Weather, Traffic, Entertainment, Breaking News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Labor-Day-Violence-New-York-City-shootings-129268118.html>.

2. "Anti-Square - City Taking Aim Against Gun Violence." Anti-Square. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://anti-square.tumblr.com/post/10765955614/city-taking-aim-against-gun-violence>.

3. "City of Chicago::Chicago's Camera Network." City of Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. < http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/oem/supp_info/chicago_s_cameranetwork.html>.

4. "Detroit Murder, Gun Violence Rate Climbing « CBS Detroit." CBS Detroit. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/07/26/detroit-murder-gun-violence-rate-climbing/>.

5. "Englewood Residents March For Funds To Rehab Vacant Buildings! | Action Now." Action Now | Working Families United For Change!. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://actionnowdotorg.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/englewood-residents-march-for-funds-to-rehab-vacant-bui>.

6. "Englewood neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois (IL), 60621 subdivision profile - real estate, apartments, condos, homes, community, population, jobs, income, streets." Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Englewood-Chicago-IL.html>.

7. "Federal Official launch new effort to combat gun crimes in Detroit." ABC7 Action News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/federal-officials-launch-new-effort-to-combat-gun-crimes-in-detroithttp://>.

8. "File:Chicago violent crime map 2006.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chicago_violent_crime_map_2006.png>.

9. "Free Concert Tickets in Exchange for Non-Violence | theflatbushblog.com." The Flatbush Blog | Flatbush Brooklyn. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://theflatbushblog.com/?p=1160>.

10. "Gun violence becoming part of daily life in Oakland | www.ktvu.com." San Francisco, Oakland & San Jose: Bay Area News, Weather &... | www.ktvu.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/gun-violence-becoming-part-daily-life-oakland/nKPPL/>.

21

Acknowledgements:

This project could not have been

done without the help of the

following people

My teacher

• Mr. George Zaninovich

Interviewees

• Pastor Gerald M. Dew

• Deputy Vance Henry

• Alderman Willie Cochran

Participants in the Surveys

22

These questions were asked

in the survey:

Community/Area where you live:

Occupation:

Age range

25-under__

26-36 __

37-47 __

48-58 __

59-older __

Do you know someone who has

been affected by gun violence? If

yes, how many people?

Do you think gun violence in

Chicago has been on the rise or

decline?

What do you think the City of

Chicago should do about ending

gun violence?

Appendix

23

Appendix

Case Studies

Oakland, CA. The most dangerous city in California. Like Englewood, Oakland suffers from a high rate of gun possession and violence. It was reported that "gun violence [is] becoming part of daily life in Oakland". Within a 24-hour period, 5 shooting were reported on February 23rd. In Oakland shooting are not rare but in fact common, so common that people are becoming numb to the violence. Majority of the gun violence is gang related, a war between East and West Oakland. Violence in the city has increased, the same in Englewood, and the amount of shooting as of February 7 was 14, 2 higher then in 2011. Contrary to what should be, the police force has decreased 200 officers within 3 years. The Police Department is addressing the issue by calling in for outside help. They are also making gun violence their focus, as of recently they have been distracted with occupy protesters. A problem that Oakland and Englewood both face is the accessibility of guns especially for teens and young adults.18 year old Olandis Walker from Oakland says "Its very easy t o get a gun. Even my little brother could get one if he wanted, and he's only 9 years old". Youth Alive is an organization that deals with youth and gun violence. They deal with teens that have been affected with gun violence and host leadership programs. The results of this program are inspiring. 100% of the teens that enroll in their Teens on Target program graduate (compared to only 40% of teens who are not in the program). In addition, twice as many participants were able to talk a friend out of carrying a gun.

24

Appendix

Case Studies

Like Chicago and Englewood, Memphis faces the problem of gun violence specifically in Shelby County. With $4.8 million dollars in funding, Mayor Wharton, has decided to use some it in the campaign to end gun violence. Just like Englewood, an abundance in unoccupied land contributes the the problem. The money will employ "innovation teams". These teams will work on ways to revive abandoned building that often house illegal activity (a problem also faced by Englewood) and reducing gun violence. Not only will this reduce casualties but also will spur economic development. A problem the Memphis police department faces is managing the illegal transfer of guns from adults to juveniles. Englewood has this problem as well. Just under 20% of the population lies under the poverty line and in 2010 it was the most impoverished large metro area in the country.