By Tracy Swartz
RedEye
Violence in Chicago has been top of mind in the wake of 16-year-old Derrion Albert's beating death in Roseland last week. Chicago police recorded 12 homicides in the last week but the total number of murders this year, to date, is down about 12 percent compared to January through September 2008.
September ended with 41 homicides, including a fatal car crash in which the driver was initially charged with reckless homicide, as of Wednesday afternoon. Chicago police recorded 54 homicides in September 2008.
Four community areas - Austin, Brighton Park, East Garfield Park and South Lawndale - saw two homicides this last week.
Four homicides occurred in the 24th Ward, which includes North Lawndale and parts of Austin, West Garfield Park and East Garfield Park. A RedEye analysis of preliminary police data from January through September found the 24th Ward has recorded 23 homicides, the most of any ward.
Ald. Sharon Dixon, who represents the 24th Ward, said her ward is underdeveloped and the way to stop the violence is "to bring opportunities. You have to bring growth."
Check out the homicides in your neighborhood at www.redeyechicago.com/homicides.
16 Comments
MSUDAN said:
Dear Whomever Came up With this Map:
You may want to check your data really fast. There is no way the 19th Ward had 16-20 homicides this year. This is Beverly, part of Morgan Park and Mt. Greenwood. Perhaps there were 1 or 2 (or 0) murders. It needs to be green - you made a mistake.
BKChicago said:
I'd like to agree with you but we just had a murder two or three weeks ago by the highschool. Ginger better get on the stick, we are not a poor or disadvantaged area there are no excuses for this type of crime here.
January said:
Just because an area is in poverty or at a disadvantage does not mean that the violence is excusable.
THIS IS AMERICA...a country hat is supposed to stand on unity...NO VIOLENCE IS EXCUSABLE.
Please correct your statement as it seems to be stereotypical.
Tracy Swartz said:
@MSUDAN ... YOu are absolutely right and thank you for the catch. Ward 19 was accidentally put in the 16-20 category. It should be in the 0-5 homicides category. The rest of the map is accurate, and there will be a correction in tomorrow's paper.
Thanks,
Tracy
Benjamin said:
Nice work Redeye! Imagine that, real journalism in this town. Amazing.
urbaneddie said:
Wow, in the 18 years I've lived in Chicago, I've never known ANYONE to get murdered ... At the same time, I've known quite a few people who have died in car accidents in the suburbs.
The city isn't that unsafe & you stand a better chance of dying in a car accident (in the suburbs or even the city) than being a random victim of homocide (which are usually targeted & not random).
Charles McPhate said:
Nice breakdown, but what's the total number of homicides this year?
Tracy Swartz said:
Hi Charles,
Thanks for the comment. As of today, we count 354 homicides, including seven cases in which a driver was initially charged with reckless homicide.
The points are available at www.redeyechicago.com/homicides
Thanks,
Tracy
bhansen said:
Seeing the wards in color makes me realize how ridiculously gerrymandered they are.
Tracy E Fulford said:
What proof do you need to know that the gun ban is not working. Stop using misleading facts from the 70's and 80's to keep hang on to the gun ban.
What is sad, the high homicida areas with the most killing are areas with all african american residents. And all the african american alderman and state reps support the ban because they want to be good N*****s for the King Richard.
As military man (full time army,) who is african american I tell every american; YOU HAVE TO RIGHT TO OWN A GUN AS LONG AS YOUR IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE LAW. Chicago land. Good by a gun, learn to use it/store it/clean it. Its your right. Vote out anyone who believe in this gun ban.
Wiz said:
What cross-eyed, one legged, cockatoo came drew the ward map?
@Tracy E Fulford what are you talking about? How would having a gun make a difference? Most of the people who are shot are innocent bystanders or someone was gunning for them. And of the kids being shot, they would not be able to own a gun. Not that I believe that banning gun ownership means anything one way or the other, I do believe that when people talk about 'the right to bear arms' they have a hidden agenda and probably want to shoot someone, which is all the more reason they should not own a gun.
@Tracy Swartz, I guess this would be more relevant either with some other data or if the breakdown of wards made any sense, but it doesn't. Neither does the breakdown of police district (but murders by police districts would lend some sense of the ability of the those districts to do their jobs, especially since alderbugs are not crimefighters (in any sense of the word) I lived in Chicago all my life and I still have no idea of what alderbugs can do or what exactly they are accountable for other than shining the mayor's butt with lip gloss
ILoveMyChicago said:
This is nice work. Would it be possible to make it little more interactive map where we can know where exactly the ward is and what other name it is known by?
Tracy Swartz said:
Hi ILoveMyChicago,
We don't have an interactive ward map but you can look up homicides in your neighborhood at www.redeyechicago.com/homicides. It's current as of last Wednesday.
Thanks,
Tracy
January said:
Since when has someone being beaten to death, ESPECIALLY A CHILD, in the streets we all have to walk become none of our business?
When will EVERYONE realize that not saying anything or doing anything to prevent this senseless MADNESS Makes you just as guilty as those committing the vicious acts?
YOU ARE ENABLING THE MADNESS BY NOT PREVENTING IT...SO THE BLOOD OF DERRION ALBERT IS ON THE HANDS OF EVERY CHILD and/or ADULT WHO WAS PRESENT!!!!!!
We ALL know that the police department and the city administration is not going to work towards fixing something that the citizens don't see important enough to do their part to fix. It does not affect them directly so they will not take the necessary measures to correct it...so it falls on us which mean DO YOUR PART!!!!!!!
This child's life was stolen from him...STOLEN FROM HIM...his parents have to go on living their life knowing that there was NO ONE around who saw their child's life as being important enough to prevent it from being taken from him.
When will everyone realize that until these LIES that the parents and communities are teaching these children at a young age stops we can expect more violence to erupt in our Countries streets?
Can someone please explain how doing the right thing has become the wrong thing to do?
Since when has the parents devoted their time to telling their children to look the other way when another student's life in being stolen away from them, RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES, before the child even had the opportunity to become an adult?
SINCE WHEN HAVE WE ALL BECOME COWARDS?!? STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE I AM CERTAIN YOU WOULD WANT SOMEONE TO STAND UP FOR YOURS!!!!!
Jose Rodriguez said:
Its wonderful how the north side has no significant homicide problems. However, lets not be afraid of the deep south, but instead help them out in how they can fix this horrible problem. I feel so bad for the families in the south side. THOSE CHIDLREN do not deserve to be afraid!!! I recommend calling the police if you see anything violent or non-normal soon as possible.
Kevin Killion said:
bhansen's comment is extremely insightful! Just look at this thing -- three out of the four most dangerous wards are spectacular gerrymanders! What's going on in those areas that makes this so?
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