Although Crime and Victimization Rates Have Decreased Across Racial Lines

Essay

Although crime and victimization rates have decreased across racial lines over the past twenty years in the U.S., the trends have been less positive for African Americans than for whites. For example, blacks are 6.3 times more likely tobe homicide victims than whites and significantly more likely tobe homicide offenders. African Americans are particularly susceptible togun violence, with firearm murder rates of 14.6 per 100,000 adults, compared to1.9 for whites and 4.0 for Hispanics. Chicago's West Garfield Park neighborhood, which is 96 percent black, has a homicide rate of 116 per 100,000 people. In comparison, Honduras, the worldwide leader in murders, has a homicide rate of only 90 per 100,000. As the newly elected Mayor of Chicago, you have a major gang problem stemming from illegal drug territorial disputes within city limits, which is ultimately responsible for a major percentage of recent African American homicides. In your role as Mayor, you must act. How will you deal with this epidemic, and more specifically, whowill you call upon toassist with these efforts and what will be your plan? Please fully explain your answer.