By: Matt Rosenberg
We’ve reached a breaking point on crime in Illinois and supermajority Democrats in the state legislature know it. So as June’s primary elections approach, they’ve attached to HB 4736 a Senate Floor Amendment 1 to create a Crime Reduction Task Force that would “develop and propose ways to reduce crime across the state.” Legislators, law enforcement, policy experts, victims and witnesses would “review research and best practices while taking expert and witness testimony” and then issue findings and recommendations to lawmakers and the Governor by March 1 of next year.
The amendment also calls for a crime hotline with cash for tips leading to arrest; and would create a witness protection program. The bill and task force amendment have cleared the House and gone to the Senate.
UPDATE, 4.9.22: By April 8, HB 4736 and the task force amendment had passed the Illinois House and Senate.
But here’s the problem: the task force will be studying the symptom, not the disease.
The disease is absent fathers which puts young men at severe economic disadvantage and prone to gangs and crime. And the disease is anti-police sentiment in Illinois, aided and abetted by lawmakers, which sends cops heading for the exits.
How do you know if your city doesn’t have enough cops?
It’s an evolving science. But clues tend to look like this: In Champaign, police staffing is so low the city is advertising for private security firms to help out in downtown trouble spots. In Chicago as of Monday murders to date this year compared to 2019 are up 47 percent, shooting incidents 46 percent and motor vehicle thefts 56 percent.
In Chicago cops are down by 1,000 officers even after 614 empty slots were deep-sixed. Detective manpower is sub-par compared to other major cities. And solving murders isn’t going well at all.
Out of 799 Chicago murders counted in 2021, charges were filed in only 219 cases. Another 68 offenders were dead. Okay, count those cases as solved, too. That adds up to a real “murder clearance rate” of 36 percent. Exceedingly poor. So what happens? Police supervisors answering to Mayor Lori Lightfoot fudged the numbers upward, as the FBI allows. They counted another 135 cases that prosecutors wouldn’t prosecute based on the evidence, as “cleared” or solved. And crowed about a murder clearance rate greater of 50 percent.
There’s other bleeding that won’t stop. In Illinois police resignations were up 65 percent in 2021 versus the prior year, compared to 45 percent nationwide. Staffing in local police departments across the state is from 10 to 25 percent below authorized personnel levels. Recruitment of new officers is at a 30-year-low. All this according to the Illinois Police Chiefs Association, in a recent red-lettered bold-font message.
They’re leaving because of a hostile environment for police. Illinois Democratic lawmakers in 2021 approved a dead-of-night “criminal justice reform” bill in the waning hours of a lame duck session. It was almost 800 pages long. They had to pass it to find out what was in it. Among the provisions: cops may lose their protection against personally paying settlements in lawsuits filed by criminal suspects alleging mistreatment. Cops now can also lose their state certification to work, based on anonymous complaints. And sworn affidavits are no longer required for citizens to file disciplinary complaints against police.
UPDATE – 4.9.22: The state budget will include $10 million for grants to towns, universities and nonprofits to hire and retain police officers via HB 3863. But the toxic provisions toward police in last year’s criminal justice reform bill, stand.
The legislative task force will make recommendations. You won’t see one for rescinding the state law that blocked county prosecutors from charging juvenile carjackers as adults. You won’t see a mandate that in all counties thefts valued at greater than $300 shall be charged as felonies. And you won’t see any honest acknowledgement of this report from the front: a young man arrested for three robberies on public transit in Chicago, two of them using a weapon, told police, “I have no way in life.” As in, no pathway.
Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez has put a fine point on how that kind of thing happens. It’s not for lack of after-school programs or “trauma-informed” therapy for “under-served populations.” He said, “Generational gang life isn’t just something that’s encouraged. It’s almost revered in some neighborhoods. If you really want to get to what is at the heart of a lot of this, it is gangs, and it is the borderline collapse of the family unit in many of our neighborhoods…”
“The borderline collapse of the family unit?” Yes, actually.
Chicago’s own health department has reported that in every year between 1999 and 2009 more than 80 percent of births to black women in Chicago were to single mothers. The full breakdowns by race and neighborhood are here, on pages 25 and 27.
For Latinos, the figure rose from 45 to 56 percent over those 11 years while Asians hovered at 10 to 11 percent and whites dropped from 17.5 percent to 13.8.
And the kicker: where births to single mothers were greatest in Chicago, murder was and remains among the highest. In communities such as West and East Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Englewood, South Shore, Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale.
There’s the real job for your task force, lawmakers. How to restore the two-parent families in communities of color.
Assuming we’re interested in the real root causes of crime.
Make sure to invite some men and women of faith to the table.
Matt Rosenberg is senior editor of Wirepoints, and author of What Next, Chicago? Notes of a Pissed-Off Native Son.” He has worked in journalism, public policy, and communications for more than three decades.
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Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Add to this, anti-law enforcement assignments in K-12 schools, which I consider part of the CRT movement. We have seen the assignments with our own eyes from our high schoolers homework. BLM At School curriculum in districts.
So, render the police incapable of doing proactive policing, too risky to do anything on the street for fear of unsubstantiated punishment from citizen advisory groups, the media, etc., and teach the children that cops are racist, xenophobic killers to be feared but BLM to be trusted….
…..and then what will happen to society?
Your points are spot on. But the trouble is that they politicians have no real interest in reducing crime. None. Politicians real interest is being re-elected, preserving their power. They pander to the criminal element and their families because that’s where they believe the where votes will come. And obviously, based on who is elected and re-elected, that’s where the votes DO come from. Sad. Perhaps the worst influence is the radically anti-law-and-order, anti-police “press-tocricy.” (You excepted). They continually sell their nonsense. They parrot each other’s idiocy. They have limitless air-time and column inches that they use to destroy our… Read more »
Absolutely right ! My husband and I don’t go into Chicago except for church on Sunday. We wouldn’t even consider having brunch there after Mass as we occasionally did. We don’t shop or dine or go to any museums, etc. The last time I was in Chicago except Church was for jury duty three years ago.
We used to take the train from Cumberland but I would be terrified to do it now.
Chicago used to be a great city, but alas it’s gone the way of all blue big cities. I miss it.
Well said and all of it true. And yes, faith must be brought to the table. And fathers must take responsibility and be part of a strong family structure where mothers and fathers fulfill their own particular role in the education and upbringing of the next generation. They must be taught respect for themselves and others. And if they go astray, they must be held responsible for their actions. All of this takes place best in a family structure with mother and father supported by faith in God. But how you even begin to do this nowadays I seriously do… Read more »
SPOT ON! Addressing symptoms and not causes. All of these studies, commission, proposed legislation are nothing but dog and pony shows to make it look like something is being done. Its all phony and politicians simply do not want to address what needs to be addressed and face truths that to so many are plainly apparent. I do not care what color people are, what ethnicity they are, sexual orientation, etc etc. Behaviors have consequences. …good and bad.Yes, most of these proposed programs and legislation are bound to fail. none of them address behavior.
A few days ago Lori Lightfoot said young people resort to crime because they feel unloved. I thought this statement was a cop out. Where is her solutions? Where is BLM? Did they not raise millions to help? I don’t know the answers. It would seem gangs contribute to a big part of this. How do we dismantle gangs? How do we take away their power and influence? How do we not hold those who commit crimes responsible for their actions? It’s sad to see young men pick up a gun a shot and kill someone. Does it bother them… Read more »
Here a Task Force there a Task Force everywhere a Task Task Force.
Illinois democrats pass insane legislation guaranteed to create chaos and then create a “task force” which requires funding, clout jobs, office space etc etc and wastes tons of cash to fix the chaos they, the democrats, created. Makes sense to me. If all else fails, blame former President Trump, that works as well.
Notably, they are also proposing an as-yet unfunded program to recruit and retain police in local departments statewide. After they’ve helped drive so many out the door with last year’s “criminal justice reform” legislation.
Just in time for elections
Don’t forget to blame Rauner too.
Fathers and Police is not the foundation of the problem.
The lack of opportunities in the community and the values/culture taught based on those lack of opportunities is another level down.
Schools in Illinois need a financial literacy class which includes income levels for different jobs. The class should be taught Freshman and Senior year.
Financial literacy is important and I agree it should be taught more widely. However, I’ve seen and heard for myself that opportunities to do exist in low-income communities, which are studded with household-level stories of economic success. Evident are entrepreneurship (the legal kind), construction trades training programs, and high-expectations high schools and adult continuing education that lead to employment in white-collar professions. There are also many blocks that are well-kept and solidly middle class, in neighborhoods some people would never think of entering. Long story short: pride of ownership, thrift, and hard work are very much evident, and opportunities exist.… Read more »
the opportunities are all there. Its the failure of people to understand and earn regardless of what is available in schools etc etc. Its a vicious cycle that needs to be broken and it will only be solved when people realize and follow certain moral and ethical behavior and then act upon it personally. Blame and finger pointing serves no purpose. Life is not fair anywhere. Many people have too much and many people have too little. Those who realize that regardless of adversities that there is a way to pull oneself up will eventually succeed in leading lawful and… Read more »
Ah yes, the dreaded task force. The typical hand washing response when one has no idea what to do, and therefore passes the buck. It is a can kicking maneuver of politicians that dates back centuries. Of course, it it is hard to change human behavior, and the frightening statistic that 80% of black children are born to single mothers would challenge any city or state. You see the silly solutions the leaders have come up with in Illinois. Cash payments determined by lottery to serve a small percentage of the population being one pathetic example. These solve nothing, so… Read more »
Why not have two approaches: a task force AND a pilot project. For the task force roll-out the usual high-priced experts, consultants and community representatives. Make the task force subject to open meetings act. Give an equal budget to the pilot project: a police precinct or two, staffed-up with volunteer cops and prosecutors and orders to enforce current laws as they are written. Have independent paid counsel available to interpret those laws. (The same or different counsel could defend multiple lawsuits against the pilot project!] Put some addenda on the officers’ employment contracts that the city would indemnify them (with… Read more »