Do you ever feel unsafe in downtown areas? Well, if you think downtown is dangerous, you might want to avoid West Garfield Park. A recent analysis conducted by the Sun-Times has revealed some startling statistics. While the 16 police beats that cover most of the greater downtown area have experienced 77 shootings this year, which is already triple the number of shootings compared to 2019, the city’s most violent beat, located within just an eight-by-five block section of West Garfield Park, has recorded a staggering 62 shootings.
According to the Sun-Times analysis, West Garfield Park, the city’s most dangerous community area, has witnessed a per capita rate of shootings nearly 20 times higher than downtown. But the safety gap widens even further when compared to six other police districts that make up much of the North Side.
You are viewing: Exploring the Safety Gap: Unveiling the Danger of West Garfield Park
2020 and this year have seen a surge in crime across Chicago. However, the impact has been most devastating in neighborhoods far from the city center that have long been plagued by violence. This surge has deepened the divide between predominantly white, affluent neighborhoods and predominantly poor, Black, and Latino areas in terms of safety.
The murder rate in the seven most dangerous police districts has reached a three-decade high, with nearly 100 homicides per 100,000 residents. In stark contrast, the safest seven districts have seen the rate drop to fewer than four homicides per 100,000 residents, according to a report by the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
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Kimberly Smith, director of programs for the crime lab, described the situation as a “tale of two cities.” Downtown is often compared to Manhattan, while the South and West sides experience homicide rates comparable to violent South American countries. The consequences of this violence have led residents of high-crime neighborhoods to leave the city, although there has been a slight increase in the city’s overall population, primarily driven by people moving downtown.
Smith emphasized the need to address the loss of life, regardless of where it occurs. “If we believe that homicides are driving people out of the city, homicides aren’t good if they happen downtown or in West Garfield Park,” she said.
Comparing the homicide rates of Chicago’s seven safest and seven least safe police districts, the gap in the 1990s was significantly smaller, approximately seven times lower for the safest districts. While murder rates generally declined across all districts in the following decade, rates in the least safe districts started rising in early 2004, even as rates continued to decline elsewhere.
The least safe districts experienced a significant jump in murder rates in 2016, going from 45 to 81 per 100,000 residents, and those rates have remained high ever since.
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Despite the staffing shortages leading to delayed police response times citywide, Rena Cunningham, a resident of Englewood, was surprised by the resources available downtown during a recent Friday night visit. While Englewood has seen over 300 shootings this year, with over 40 of them being fatal, Cunningham noticed a strong police presence in downtown Chicago. A group of squad cars filled West Hubbard Street between State Street and Dearborn Street, not due to a shooting, but to enforce a parking ban.
This stark contrast left Cunningham in awe, stating, “I have never seen this many cars in my neighborhood unless somebody was shot.”
The data analysis for this insightful report was conducted by Andy Boyle and Jesse Howe.
In conclusion, West Garfield Park stands out as one of the most dangerous areas in Chicago, with a shockingly high rate of shootings. This alarming disparity in safety between downtown and neighborhoods like West Garfield Park highlights the pressing need for comprehensive solutions to address violence and ensure the well-being of all communities.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
