Increase of Violence in Chicago Essay Example

of violence could hardly come at a more difficult time since the city is at its pivotal moment for law enforcement that is caught up in a crisis over discipline and police conduct and over distrust of officers, especially among African-American residents that make up approximately one-third of Chicago’s population.

The basis of my research is to shed some light into matters concerning the increase of violence in Chicago which has been hit recently by escalating cases of aggression, as well as to come up recommendations in order to curb the problem. I found the topic interesting to bring up so that I can give my perspective about the matter since it is my hometown. To better understand the situation, I sought to better understand the root cause of the problem. According to LaFree and Drass (1996), from history, Chicago was the center of industrialization in which most of the African-Americans moved in the city hoping for new better life, in which most of them succeeded. But with a new era of post-industrialization, the employment trends changed. This hit the African-American population the most, consequently only one-quarter of the left the town to look for other employment opportunities in other in other manufactories when they were rendered jobless. As the result, young black males that were unemployed started selling drugs as well as getting involved in various kinds of violence which affected the safety of the neighborhood.

From the research, I discovered that even though there was violence alike in the early 1990s; it was not rampant as such. The number of reported cases has drastically increased in the recent years, outpacing New York and Los Angeles

that have more populations. Gang conflicts, as well as the proliferation of guns in the area, continue to fuel the acts of violence in Chicago. Morenoff and Sampson (1997), illustrates that youths are organized in gangs that are bound by a common ethnicity, social class, race, or other determinant and employ the use of distinctive symbols that they identify themselves with, including dress code, tattoos, hand signs, and graffiti. Membership to these gangs conveys a sense of empowerment since members of these groups act together to provide mutual protection and defend territory. Youth gangs most of the time engage in delinquent, violent, and criminal activities for financial gain and other incentives.

While trying to figure out what might be other reasons for the rise of gangs and subsequent violence in the region, I was made to understand that lack of opportunities such as employment in the neighborhoods plays a great role in the establishment of gang culture. Nevertheless, I resent the idea of unemployment and poverty in the society that automatically reflects young black males to be recruited into gangs and cause turmoil in Chicago, particularly in the suburb areas. On the same note, most of Chicago's violence that happened in 2015 was concentrated in neighborhoods of West and South sides, regions that resident generations have struggled through poverty, unemployment, racial segregation, as well as deprivation of improvements to their infrastructure. My take on this is that this might have a negative impact on the resident as the violence poses an obstacle on the economic status since businesses are most likely to close down or the existing ones to close early if the neighborhood is prone

violence.

Kupchik and Bracy (2009) explains that, social media has also been blamed for fueling violence in not only in Chicago but also other parts of the nation. Members of these gangs, in which some of them are aspiring rappers, most of the time make use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, among other media outlets to spread hate speech and inflammatory messages that intend to counter attack their rivals, and as a result this encourages them to respond in a way that sometimes may lead to fatality. I get to understand that one of the recent conflicts that erupted in Chicago town was contributed by social media particularly Facebook. Social media taunting, threats, and disrespecting one another has really escalated in the recent years. Members of the gang response to these threats and insults are based spread on these platforms.

In this research, my targeted audience is the younger generations especially in neighborhoods of West Side and South Side of Chicago, because that is where acts of violence begin. Not to single out particular race or ethnicity, but the targeted race, in this case, is the young black African American men who live in the region; this is where there are most reported cases of violence. If we could get the attention of the middle school to high school students just before they grow into adulthood, it can make a great impact and change the ways and mentality of next generation to become responsible citizens. These people fit into the stereotype of living in single-family homes or no family at all, lower class individuals and having little to no education. They can

be equally sensitized or rather reminded on the importance having a peaceful environment as this a deviant their minds from the norm.

The residents of Chicago, specifically violence-torn areas want to do better but lack necessary resources to help them lead a better livelihood they resort to crimes and other unproductive activities. They think that everything conspiring against them. These aspiring rappers and drug dealers are their motivation for the time being because they have everything they want and it does not take a lot to get it. Living the fast life, because they are uncertain what tomorrow might bring. Television and music are their influences; everybody wants to live that fairy tale life of having women, cash, cars, and drugs. Young generations need to stop notion identifying themselves with particular groups in the neighborhood and live beyond their scope.

Conclusion

Increased violence in Chicago is an aspect that needs to be looked into and addressed to find a solution, not only on the current situation but a long lasting one so as to deal with it once and for all. After I have done much research on the issue, the problem can be reduced but engaging younger generations in constructive practices that promote positive youth development. I can also recommend that cure approach should be taken by the relevant authority that is concerned to intervene in violence increase in Chicago. This can prove to be crucial and save lives in the neighborhoods through encouraging and sensitizing the young people about the viability social program investments. The cure violence approach may help to hasten the effectiveness of law enforcement thereby reduces violence in Chicago.

In addition, sometimes it not

only to deal with people aggressively so as to drive the point home, the police should device diplomatic ways to deal with criminals in the area rather than using force. In my perspective, looking into the level of violence in Chicago which is far much worse than any other city in the nation, there is a need to educate the young people in the area against involvement in violent behaviors; this can also serve as a remedy to the problem.

References

• Kupchik, A., & Bracy, N. L. (2009). The News Media on School Crime and Violence Constructing Dangerousness and Fueling Fear. Youth violence and juvenile justice, 7(2), 136-155.
• LaFree, G., & Drass, K. A. (1996). The effect of changes in intraracial income inequality and educational attainment on changes in arrest rates for African Americans and whites, 1957 to 1990. American Sociological Review, 614-634.
• Morenoff, J. D., & Sampson, R. J. (1997). Violent crime and the spatial dynamics of neighborhood transition: Chicago, 1970–1990. Social forces,76(1), 31-64.