At least 101 shot, 15 killed during violent Fourth of July weekend in Chicago

[s_bushido]

It is high, but that's because the only 2 larger cities have significantly fewer murders. NYC so far this year, with nearly 3 times the population has 1/3 the number of murders: 353 for Chicago to 127 for NYC (NYC data is only through July 2nd so it might be missing some but not really enough to make a difference). But if you look at some of the big cities smaller than Chicago the numbers aren't so drastic. Chicago still is very high but not quite as much an outlier. But since it's the largest city with a high rate, it gets news since it has the highest total number (but not rate).

Chicago isn't even an outlier. In fact, its murder rate isn't even in the top 10 for American cities:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._by_crime_rate

[Nellise]

Chicago isn't even an outlier. In fact, its murder rate isn't even in the top 10 for American cities:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._by_crime_rate

That's old data that's not relevant to the current situation. Chicago had 478 murders in the year used in that table (2015), but 762 in 2016 and is on pace for over 700 again this year.

Edits: fixed the data I had wrong.

[Chrysia]

That's old data from 2009 that's not relevant to the current situation. Chicago had 459 murders that year, but 762 in 2016 and is on pace for over 700 again this year.

Edit: I read it wrong, nevermind, the population used is 2009, not the murder rate.

Edit #2: I should read the whole thing, seems the crime data is from 2015, when Chicago had 468 murders, so yeah not relevant.

Well, still relevant, actually, because there's been a crime surge in several cities over the last couple of years. Also, nobody's really sure what, specifically, has caused the drastic upshoot over the last two years in Chicago, and they're still well below their peak.

[Nellise]

Well, still relevant, actually, because there's been a crime surge in several cities over the last couple of years. Also, nobody's really sure what, specifically, has caused the drastic upshoot over the last two years in Chicago, and they're still well below their peak.

Sorry I sort of ninja edited my post out from under you but seemed cleaner to just have a straight statement. I called it not relevant in the sense that the table that was posted isn't reflecting the current situation. If the number of murders stayed in the 400s I think people could live with it, it wouldn't be great, but still near historic lows. But the current spike in the last 2 years has made it a real problem that needs to be addressed and using old data and trying to say things are fine isn't useful or informative.

[Lenonis]

of course we can just ignore the dozen or so cities with a rate of gun deaths per 100,000.....that are in republican controlled area's.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ngress-chicago

This, along with numerous other reasons is why I just laugh at the people who babble on about war zones and what a dangerous place Chicago is. Yeah, Chicago has a lot of murders and a lot of shootings, but it ALSO has a shit ton of people.

And having Indiana, where they basically just have guns lying around for people to just take (lulz hyperbole) basically 30 minutes away from the crime hotspots does not help.

And no, Chicago doesn't have super insane strict gun laws -- many of them were struck down in the courts.

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Certainly true for murder on a rate per 100,000 but I'd wager a goodly sum that it's the highest on pure numbers though.

Given that it's the third largest city in the US that's not particularly meaningful.

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I think Chicago needs tougher gun laws, that will fix it.

Chicago would benefit from having Indiana and Wisconsin having tougher gun laws.

[ProfessorTjc]

Florida is a red state and has tons of killings.... checkmate.

It has nothing to do with Liberals or Conservatives, It's a mix of culture and not enough police force.

[Lenonis]

I don't mind the focus on it since something is different in Chicago compared to the 2 other largest cities, LA and NYC, and it'd be interesting to figure out why. Chicago was decreasing in murders like those two, but at a lesser extent. Then last year the murder rate spiked hard and is doing so again this year. LA and NYC aren't really experiencing the same thing. It doesn't make Chicago a hellhole like people are trying to claim but there is something that needs to be changed.

It's actually known. Chicago did a really hardcore gang crackdown a few years ago and rounded up all the gang leaders and threw them in jail. What they were unprepared for was the power vacuum that ensued in the city's underground and what we've been seeing since then is inexperienced leaders unable to keep their gangs in line -- thus causing a rise in violence as revenge killings beget revenge killings and there is no leadership to reign it all in.

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violence in chicago doubled over obama....

Have any sources to back that up? Because that's not what I'm seeing -- but you just stated "violence" so I have no idea what you are referring to.

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Well, still relevant, actually, because there's been a crime surge in several cities over the last couple of years. Also, nobody's really sure what, specifically, has caused the drastic upshoot over the last two years in Chicago, and they're still well below their peak.

Just quoting you so you can see my response to an earlier poster. We actually do know what's caused the drastic upshoot in Chicago.