For The New Commander In Chief: A Violence Prevention Strategy

Abstract

In May, 2007 two factions of the Gangster Disciples street gang were at war on the far Southside of Chicago. One gang member fired multiple gunshots on a crowded bus. He missed his intended target and killed Blair Holt, a 16year-old honor student. Holt was killed when he threw himself on a friend to protect her. Five other passengers were wounded. Two gang members were arrested (Hussain & Goldberger, 2007; Patterson, Herman, & Fusco, 2007; Konkol, Main, O’Donnell, & Herman, 2007). In June 2007, two rival gangs—the YLO Cobras and the Imperial Gangsters—were in a territorial dispute on the Northwest side of Chicago. The gang members shouted at each other and flashed gang signs. Witnesses heard one of the gangs yelling, “Get the gun” and “Light it up.” One gang member then fired several shots from a 9-mm handgun at his rivals. He missed his intended target and struck Schanna Gayden, a 13year-old girl who was buying fruit from a street vendor. She was killed. Two gang members were arrested for her murder (Sweeney & Main, 2007; Sweeney & Parish, 2007; Zorn, 2007; Aquilar & Rozas, 2007; Herman, 2007a, 2007b.) Thirty-two other Chicago public school students have been killed this year (Herbert, 2007; see also Wagner & Kirby, 2006, p. 205–209). Such crimes are a tragedy. But one must also examine the broader impact of violent crime on the United States. Violent crime has declined in recent years (Blumstein, 2000; Butterfield, 1998). Yet, yearly, there are about 6 million victims of violent crime. In 2003, there were 1.4 million violent offenders reported to the police. In 1999, there were over 10,000 persons murdered with guns. These crimes cost the U.S. $100 billion annually in property loss, medical care, mental health treatment, productivity loss, and crime victim compensation. If we were to add to that amount the pain,