Rahm is Doing Some Good Things in Chicago Regarding Gang Violence

[mucifer]

I'm not sure if you have seen the acclaimed documentary "The Interrupters" about former gang members working to reduce violence in their communities:

The agency that trains the interrupters is called Ceasefire. www.ceasefire.org

from the city of Chicago website:

The City of Chicago today announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health and the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention (CeaseFire) to implement a new pilot initiative to stem gang violence in two Chicago Police Department Districts hard hit by the splintering of traditional gangs in recent years.

Beginning July 13, CeaseFire will work with CPD in specific beats in the Grand Crossing (3rd) and Ogden (10th) Districts with the goal of addressing gang members from within to mitigate violence before it begins.

“The Chicago Police Department is committed to driving out gang violence and revealing the thriving communities that exist across this city,” said First Deputy Superintendent Alfonza Wysinger. "Working with CeaseFire will complement and enhance our gang violence reduction strategy, making Chicago a safer place for everyone.”

As part of CPD’s comprehensive gang violence reduction strategy, the Department is working with community, faith based leaders and businesses to ensure that when a narcotics market is removed from a neighborhood, that community works together to hold onto the block moving forward. The pilot program with CeaseFire will enhance the Department’s ability to holistically approach gang violence to increase the safety of communities throughout the city.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/violence_prev/news/2012/jun/city_of_chicago_partnerswiththeuicschoolofpublichealthandchicago.html

There has been a lot of violence escalating in our city recently. I hope this helps.

[permatex]

1. With the level of violence in Chicago

I hope this helps.

[riderinthestorm]

2. Rahm-bashing is popular on DU but he's been okay so far.

Who knows what the future will bring but for now, I give him credit when he gets it right.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. What is happening in Chicago is really really starting to look like

what happened in Los Angeles back in the '80s and early '90s. Except rather than the government doing it, the "private" sector is doing it - and in this case, feeding guns in there rather than crack.

[mucifer]

4. I was watching an interview today with Tio Hardiman the director of ceasefire

and he was saying it's not lack of jobs. He says it's not the availability of guns. He states it's a mentality that needs to change amongst people in the community and they are trying to get as many churches and other community organizations involved and he is planning a citywide peace summit.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. My issue is that

I saw something (maybe on Sharpton?) with a chart where it shows that the violence literally started spiking in January and gets worse from there. It had been on a 20 year downtrend before then.

I do agree that the community has to get involved. I know here in Philly, there has been a push to reject the "no snitching" mentality (despite so many who were subsequently hunted down and killed for testifying). Alot of work to do but I do understand that last week, DOJ awarded grants to cities like Philly and Chicago to hire some more police to help with community policing. Hopefully they won't be squandered to ratchet up the Stop and Frisk crap.

[mucifer]

7. That's what the whole point of giving more resources to ceasefire to work with the police

[elehhhhna]

8. baloney. look into ceasefire. they're still active gangbangers in many cases

but they will help him get out the vote.

talk to any tenured chicago cop and you can hear the appalling history of ceasefire.

rahms bs about putting more cops on the street is smoke and mirrors. the CPD is understaffed and they are being denied comp time, weekends-off schedules, etc. They are close to revolt.

[mucifer]

9. 6 out of 300 workers in the past 10 years. Check out the statistics for

recidivism and tell me that it's not impressive. They are all former gang bangers so 2 % arrested is what we are looking at. It's all in how it's framed.

[mopinko]

5. he uses his common sense.

it's refreshing. and he is not afraid to piss people off. also refreshing.
i, personally, am not sorry i voted for him. glad he isn't my brother in law, but glad i voted for him.

[nikto]

10. It IS about JOBS

Ofcourse the Blue Dog Conservative Dems' friends in Bizness want to deny
it is about the jobs THEY have shipped overseas.
They are carbon-copy GOPers, on economic matters.


REAL Democrats
Talk about JOBS 1st.

All other considerations come after that.

Or it is just BS.