9781422273531

While young black men account for just 4 percent of the total population, they represent more than half of Chicago’s murder victims.

Wherever gangs can be found, handguns will soon follow. A survey of gang members revealed that handguns were the weapon of choice for over three-quarters of all members, with assault rifles in a very distant second place. Gangs prize handguns because they are compact, concealable, and inexpensive. While they cannot do the raw damage of a high- powered rifle and are not nearly as accurate, they’re an excellent way to get attention, respect, or power in the span of an instant. Gang members are vastly more violent than non-gang members, and they’re growing more violent over time, and gang conflicts are becoming increasingly fatal encounters.

Chapter 1: Crime

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