Community members address efforts to reduce violence in Chicago

(The Center Square) – Chicagoans are finding ways outside of government to address violence in the city.

The City Club of Chicago hosted a forum on the West Side, aimed at ending gun violence. Panelists came from the ranks of business, healthcare, community groups and victims’ families.

BMO Bank Vice Chairman Eric Smith said the business community has raised $100 million for violence interventions efforts. Smith says the goal is to raise another $100 million, with aspirations of making Chicago safer than New York and Los Angeles in the next decade.

“In order for us to achieve that goal, we have to see a reduction in the rate of homicide and the rate of violent crime of approximately 80% over that ten-year period,” Smith said.

St. Sabina Violence Prevention Executive Director Pamela Bosley says it is also crucial to get to the bottom of unsolved crimes.

“If you get the cases solved, you can get the shooters off the street and then you can save lives,” Bosley explained.

Bosley said her son Terrell was fatally shot on the grounds of a church when he was 18 years old. The crime remains unsolved. The majority of gun crimes remain unsolved, she said.

Panelists at the forum said everyone in the community must do their part, including those in politics and education.

Smith said the Civic Committee has taken on a public safety initiative in addition to other efforts, including education. He said the business community recognized the importance of students staying in school.

“The rate of dropout from high school is a direct correlation to the rate of violence in communities,” Smith said.

Chicago Public Schools reported an 84% graduation rate in 2023, which is lower than the state of Illinois’ graduation rate of 87.6%.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, reading proficiency scores for CPS students have dropped 63% since 2012. Math scores have dropped 78%.

BlackRoots Alliance Director of Organizing Lorne Runnels said it’s not just businesses that need to step up.

“I believe that the community feels that they need more support, not just from the business community, but from public administrations and also the politicians that they live amongst,” Runnels said.

The City Club of Chicago hosted the forum in the Homan Square neighborhood on the city’s West Side.