Chicago: The Ferguson Effect and Justice Not Served

In most every big city in America, murders and violent crime surged in 2015.  Up between 11% and 16%; depending on the study you look at.

Something called the "Ferguson Effect" is being blamed for it.  Essentially, the "Ferguson Effect" has chilled active policing in our major cities for fear that a cop, any cop, will find themselves in court, or perhaps in prison for murder, should something go wrong during an altercation that may ends in the death of a suspected criminal. Thus, the crooks have gotten the streets back.

For Chicago, the number of murders in 2015 is projected to hit 505; up more than 11% from the 2013 and 2014 counts of 450 and 454, respectively.  However, on a positive side, it won't see the highly publicized number of 514 murders that was seen in 2012.

Also, for Chicago, 2015 was also the year when the video of Laquan McDonald being shot to death by a cop was released to the world press.  Now, some people are calling for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign.  On top of that, GQ Magazine has named Rahm to its worst people's list of 2015.

In my opinion, there is a bigger issue regarding the Chicago Police and Mayor Emanuel that is being ignored amid the charged environment of the Laquan video.  That issue is the fact that so few murders are actually solved and brought to justice in that City.  In 2012 -- a year that saw the recent record of 514 murders -- only 26% were solved.  Another report by the Chicago Sun Times found that, since 1990, the solved murder rate has fallen from 70% to below 30%.

Essentially, Rahm Emanuel has neutered the Police's investigative capabilities in an effort to solve the City's budget problems.  The Sun-Times found that the "number of Chicago Police detectives, evidence technicians, and forensic investigators has declined by at least 19 percent since Emanuel took office."

If Rahm does resign, it should be over his weakening of the Police Department; leaving the City exposed, justice not being served, and criminals left on the streets to commit even more crime.  The 2015 stats may only be the tip of the iceberg, created by an overworked police investigative team which will continue to create an exponential rise in crime in the years to come.

References:

Rahm Emanuel, Under Siege in Chicago, Shows Contrite Side: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/28/us/rahm-emanuel-under-siege-in-chicago-shows-contrite-side.html

Trying to Hide the Rise of Violent Crime: Progressives and their media allies have launched a campaign to deny the ‘Ferguson effect’—but it’s real, and it’s increasingly deadly for inner cities: https://www.google.com/search?q=Trying+to+Hide+the+Rise+of+Violent+Crime&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

FBI head doubles down on 'Ferguson effect' | TheHill: http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/260080-fbi-head-doubles-down-on-ferguson-effect

2015 Chicago Crime Stats: http://heyjackass.com/

Chicago’s Criminals Are Getting Away With Murder: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/May-2013/Getting-Away-with-Murder/

WBEZ report: Chicago has more unsolved murders, fewer detectives: http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/03/24/wbez-report-chicago-has-more-unsolved-murders-fewer-detectives/