Gangs in Chicago

Chicago is considered the most gang-infested city in the United States, with a population of over 100,000 active members from nearly 60 factions.[1][2] Gang warfare and retaliation is common in Chicago. Gangs were responsible for 61% of the homicides in Chicago in 2011.

Gangster Disciples tag in Chicago

Causes

Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy blames Chicago's gang culture for its high rates of homicide and other violent crime, stating "It's very frustrating to know that it's like 7% of the population causes 80% of the violent crime...The gangs here are traditional gangs that are generational, if you will. The grandfather was a gang member, the father's a gang member, and the kid right now is going to be a gang member."[3]

Policing strategy

Mayor Rahm Emanuel disbanded the Chicago Police Department's anti-gang unit in 2012 in order to focus on beat patrols, which he said would have a more long-term solution to violence than anti-gang units.[4][5]

Population

As many as 70 active and inactive Chicago street gangs with 753 factions have been identified.[6][7] Some of the gangs that contribute most of the crime on the streets of Chicago:

History

Detailed analysis of the homicides timeline by month show that homicides (of all races) went up right after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in 1968. Hispanic-on-Hispanic homicides were alleged not to have increased until the summer of 1971 due to the Latin Kings gang election meetings.[8] In July 2020, federal agents participating in Operation Legend arrested 23 Black Disciples gang members associated with drugs and gun violations in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.[9]

References
  1. "Chicago Gang Violence: By The Numbers". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  2. "Chicago Most Gang-Infested City in U.S., Officials Say". NBC Chicago. January 26, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  3. "Gangs and guns fuel Chicago's summer surge of violence | PBS NewsHour". Pbs.org. July 20, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  4. "Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is defending his decision in the first days of his administration to disband anti-gang units like the Mobile Strike Force | WBEZ 91.5 Chicago". Wbez.org. July 9, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  5. "Terrorised Chicago residents plead for police crackdown as gang war murders soar". Telegraph. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  6. "Chicago Street Gangs". Chicago Gang History. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  7. "Gang Areas in Chicago". Uic.edu. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  8. "Latin Kings 1971-72 Election Meetings". Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  9. CHICAGO BLACK DISCIPLES GANG LEADER AMONG 23 CHARGED IN FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, OFFICIALS SAY ABC7 Chicago, July 29, 2020

See also
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