CeaseFire founder warns of increasing violence
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
The founder of CeaseFire Illinois warned Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday of the possibility of a flare-up of shootings in Chicago unless state funding for the antiviolence program is restored.
CeaseFire, whose efforts to prevent retaliatory shootings received international attention in the documentary “The Interrupters,” was notified on March 4 that its state grant was suspended as part of Rauner’s budget cuts.
On Tuesday, CeaseFire founder Dr. Gary Slutkin wrote to Rauner that the $4.5 million grant represents most of the funding for CeaseFire Illinois, which he said serves 18 communities in Chicago and six outside of the city. […]
“People’s health and safety should not be relegated to ‘non-essential’ service status and treated like property leases, office space and energy consumption savings measures,” he said.
There’s much debate over whether CeaseFire prevents the violence it claims, but ironically enough, Gov. Rauner gave Dr. Slutkin the state’s highest honor last month, the Order of Lincoln Award…
As Illinois celebrates the 206th birthday of Abraham Lincoln, Governor Bruce Rauner today announced this year’s recipients of the Order of Lincoln, which is the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service.
“This year’s recipients of the Order of Lincoln have helped make Illinois and the world a better place,” Gov. Rauner said. “The work they have accomplished is admirable, and it is our privilege to honor them. Mr. Lincoln would be proud.” […]
Gary Slutkin, Founder and Executive Director of Cure Violence
Dr. Slutkin’s innovative program has worked to reduce shootings and killings, and Cure Violence now has 52 program sites in 23 U.S. cities and eight nations of the world. He is a professor of epidemiology and international health at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, where he seeks to treat violence as he would seek to reverse epidemic disease outbreaks.
The official ceremony is in May.
The governor doesn’t actually choose the winners, but it’s still ironic.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:04 am:
Unfortunately, CeaseFire works better on paper than in reality.
Rahm Emanuel took a close look at the effectiveness of CeaseFire last year. He decided to defund them as well, and he needs plenty of help reducing violence in Chicago.
- Arizona Bob - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:07 am:
Sounds like if the money was well spent and generated results as claimed by CeaseFire, there should be no problem getting donations for private funding for their work from local communities and one percenters in Chicago. Try the Pritzgers. They spend that much on a lot of their social soirees. Give a call to George Soros and some of the other big lib/Dem donors. You’ll get those bucks if they find your work is more useful than massively funding PACs that spend all their time and effort smearing Republicans.
Finally, give a call to the Koch brothers and their Foundations. My guess is that they’re the most likely to kick in if you’re well managed and effective.
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:15 am:
I don’t know how effective Cease Fire is, but there will 100% absolutely be a “flare-up” in shootings with or without the funding because the winter weather has finally broke. It already has begun the last two days. Feels a little disingenuous
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:16 am:
Private funders cannot replace government. This is a bogus argument that is consistently made by people that understand neither philanthropy nor government. The scale is simply different.
Gary’s right and this irony is to thick to pass up. And Rahm cut the funding for the same reason Rauner did - not because it didn’t work but because of budgetary pressures. As usual, the kids on the street in harms way are the ones who will suffer.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:18 am:
ah Gary. just a little full of himself.
- Gramps - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:33 am:
I thought the strict gun laws had that taken care of.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:38 am:
Rahm did cut the funding due to CeaseFire’s performance not meeting expectations.
Rahm is smart. He knows the violence problem hurts him politically, so he gave CeaseFire $1M and a chance. One year later, even while facing reelection, he pulled the plug.
He is willing to spend $95M a year on police overtime, but not willing to spend another $1M on CeaseFire. That is a choice.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:50 am:
People keep saying Emanuel’s “smart.” I do not think that word means what you think it means. Since the mid-90s, he’s promoted the same tired attitude about violence.
It didn’t work then, we’re paying for it now, and still he wants more of the same.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 10:53 am:
Another cut that may end up costing more money in the end.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 11:19 am:
Giving CeaseFire city of Chicago funding for the first time ever is ==more of the same==?
- Formerpol - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 11:34 am:
So every group claims that they are important and should not be cut; cut somebody else. We need some tough love in Illinois.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 11:48 am:
Every cut leads to the inevitable public gnashing of teeth. Every program is a sacred cow - the funding must not only be preserved but it must actually be increased dramatically - the reasons given for any deficiency in the program/results being tied to the lack of adequate funding - never to the fact that the program doesn’t actually work.
- globalguy - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 11:49 am:
The larger, and far more serious, issue here is that while gov’t provision of social services isn’t perfect, provision by private philanthropies is a disaster, especially in terms of oversight. As Arizona Bob implies, private philanthropies only reflect their own (often political) interests when funding social service provision. Welcome to the Brave New World of Illinois …
- Allen Skillicorn - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
If CeaseFire is so great why aren’t they forming a C3 and doing private fundraising?
- Chris - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
crazybleedingheart:
Rahm has “promoted the same tired attitude about violence”
He hasn’t done a very good job, since I have no idea WTH you mean. Please to explain.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Mar 11, 15 @ 3:22 pm:
Dear Chris,
http://www.npr.org/2014/09/12/347736999/20-years-later-major-crime-bill-viewed-as-terrible-mistake
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 9:00 am:
@globalguy
=The larger, and far more serious, issue here is that while gov’t provision of social services isn’t perfect, provision by private philanthropies is a disaster, especially in terms of oversight.=
Global, why don’t you tell that to charities like United Way, Catholic Charities, the American Heart and Lung Associations, and St Jude’s children hospital. I’m sure they’d love to hear your opinions on what a “disaster” the services they provide truly are!