31 Comments - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:20 pm: The sanction for not cooperating with gangs is worse than no cooperating with police, too. I guess all of our policy decisions should be based on how a gang treats a similar offense? - Qui Tam - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:33 pm: Sounds like the gangs have a better firearm inventory control system than ATF FBI & DEA regarding lost weapons, where there are no consequences for the offending agencies. - Will - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:35 pm: That only makes sense if CPD is returning the gun to the gang. If they get arrested with it they go to jai AND the gang loses the gun. - COPN - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:39 pm: Not sure of the messaging between McCarthy and Emanuel. So we’re looking for better prosecution from Alvarez or increased penalties for violent crimes…or both? And what the hell does Mayor Emanuel’s comment even mean? “…it’s time that our criminal justice system and the laws as it relates to access to guns and the penalties for using ‘em reflect the values of the people of the city of Chicago.” - COPN - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:40 pm: The Mayor’s quote was actually from the Trib’s piece: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-shootings-violence-20150928-story.html - Just saying... - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:40 pm: These guys are making a lot of money with extreme declining results. They need to stop looking for a silver bullet (snarK). There’s not one answer to the problem. But blaming the system is futal at this point. I have noticed that they started to back off gun-control issues and started attacking the courts systems. I guess they must feel like they’re earning their pay by making up excuses one step at a time. Hopefully, they will start looking at their internal policies as well as the city’s policies next and actually have the courage to point the finger at those failed policies…Sanctuary City is a good start! - Jerry in Chicago - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:47 pm: That’s really strange. Because most cases of U.U.W. are based on the defendant throwing a gun when running from police. At least, that’s what they’re writing in their police reports for decades. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:48 pm: What Will said. Once they’re caught, the guns are seized and “lost” anyway. Chicago cops seize more guns every year than NYC and LA combined. I wouldn’t give those who choose the gang life too much credit for brains. Look at the Northwest Side goof in the news recently who got millions for a wrongful conviction settlement. He got out of prison, collected his millions, went straight back to the life, got arrested, back to the can. He had millions. He could be living in the south of France or Hawaii. Instead, back to the cage. - @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:49 pm: “Sanctuary City is a good start!” Please explain this apparent non sequitur. – MrJM - Stones - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:49 pm: I’m not sure that the criminal being pursued is thinking in a logical manner. - Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:51 pm: If true, it challenges the narrative that guns are easy to get in Chicago. The gangs act as if they are valuable. If you want to really reduce violence in Chicago, change the distribution system for recreational drugs. I don’t like full legalisation because I don’t want anyone to have a financial incentive to create more addicts. (Yes, the current system encourages dealers to create addicts. ) I would prefer a mixed approach. Sell less damaging drugs through state stores. (Similar to alcohol in some states ) Add in medical model maintenance for drugs like heroin. Control prescription painkillers better. Push drug rehab. And make illegal sales subject to extremely stiff penalties. Think like a businessman trying to take out a competitor, the illegal drug suppliers. - The Middle - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:02 pm: The problem is the Cook County criminal courts system and the judges who administer it. Judges hand down wildly inconsistent rulings, particularly in bond court. That’s why Tom Dart ends up holding a shoplifter for 100 days, but a gang member with multiple arrests posts bail on a gun offense and goes right back on the street. Judges are not held accountable by the voters (25 years and counting since one has lost retention) or Chief Judge Tim Evans, who keeps job by making his fellow judges happy. - The Middle - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:04 pm: * keeps HIS job - Henry Moon - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:06 pm: Mandatory prison sentences for felons arrested with guns is a common sense solution to gun violence that comes in and out of fashion every generation. There is no reason to imprison drug users yet let felons caught with guns out on recognizance bonds. Unfortunately we are in a progressive cycle of defining deviancy down with a vengeance, and despite the carnage on the streets are spending most media time on allowing felons to vote. - Very Fed Up - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:08 pm: How do criminals get illegal guns back after arrest? Isnt the gun lost either way? - the217 - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:14 pm: Just because a person throws away a gun during a police chase does not mean that the person can not be charged with possessing a firearm. A dropped gun, later found in the vicinity of the person’s path can easily be tied to the person through a witness or forensic evidence. Also, if the person drops the gun instead of holding on to it, the person limits their ability to suppress the gun as evidence and prevent it from being entered against them in court. McCarthy is wrong, a gun is not worth more to the gangs than the 15 years in prison a person can get for possessing it. - Former Hoosier - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:22 pm: CPD has complained for years about the fact that many gang members are back on the street almost before the ink dries on the arrest report, because the bail is set low. On average, CPD seizes an illegal gun every 75 minutes. Gun violations in IL receive an aver. sentence of 1 yr.. In NYC the same crime gets 3.5 yrs. 60% of guns used in Chgo. crimes are purchased in Wisconsin and Indiana, where there are no background checks at gun show sales. - crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:23 pm: One day, the problem is that we’re awash in illegal guns. The next day, guns are so precious people won’t let them go. Because the best going hypothesis is that gang leaders (note: leaders) simply don’t understand supply, demand, and pricing? Yeah, Garry, we get it. It’s the prosecutors, you mean the judges, you mean the laws. Hard to keep up. So — how often is it suggested in print by real journos that McCarthy is a washed-up joke? Because a lot of people who know better, know this. - crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:25 pm: To clarify, by “real journos” I don’t mean “not Rich.” That’s not his bag. I mean that there is plenty of criticism of McCarthy online, but almost all of it is from terrible outlets. Would be nice to have The Reader dig in. - Tequila Mockingbird - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:53 pm: “…it’s time that our criminal justice system and the laws as it relates to access to guns and the penalties for using ‘em reflect the values of the people of the city of Chicago.” Mayor Emmanual mispeaks. It certainly DOES reflect the values of the people of Chicago- SOME of them anyway. - Anon - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 3:22 pm: I think it’s time for McCarthy to go. Obviously he can’t get a lid on what’s happening out there. It’s absurd. - Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 3:30 pm: so people without CC permits i assume…. the antigun laws in chicago seem to only be helpin to keep the criminals armed…. - FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:04 pm: Maybe instead of predicting the downfall of society because of CCW becoming law, McCarthy should have been concentrating on the criminal gun culture and not the mainstream gun culture. He is offering excuses; incompetent people give excuse for failure. Leaders look at the situation and reevaluate the situation as it changes and offer no excuses, they just execute the mission within the boundaries of law. His position is a tough job, no doubt about it. We need someone tough to fill it. - crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:19 pm: Someone smart would be a better start. - sal-says - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:57 pm: Suspect that this creates/causes more folks to get shot with all the subsequent investigations, worry by cops, costs and publicity. The times we live in. - DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 5:17 pm: It is a FEDERAL offense for a felon to possess a firearm. It is a mandatory minimum of Five years in prison. Do you mean to tell me all these gangbangers that are picked up do not have a felony background ? Turn them over tot the Feds let them prosecute and put them away and on the Feds dime too - Truthines - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 6:18 pm: Feds aren’t willing to spend the dough to keep ‘em locked up. The best, most realistic way, to stop all of this is to highly regulate the legal purchase of firearms. Every firearm and bullet needs to some sort of embedded identification feature. This is possible I have read. Keep track of every sale. If people buy guns, and the guns flow to criminals, then liability would attach to those original purchasers. - Striketoo - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 9:19 pm: “Mandatory prison sentences for felons arrested with guns is a common sense solution to gun violence that comes in and out of fashion every generation. There is no reason to imprison drug users yet let felons caught with guns out on recognizance bonds.” This is “the solution”. Unfortunately, it is black legislators from the killing zones that are the biggest opponents of moving unlawful use of a weapon from a misdemeanor to a felony. Their inaction on this issue the prime reason for the slaughter on Chicago’s streets. - Late to the Party - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 5:56 am: Many here commented on the idea that guns are valuable to the gangs and that is why the bangers hang on to them. The value of the weapon is not the reason. The reason to hold onto the weapon is so as not to be perceived as a wussy. Kinda like the trouble a cop or soldier would be in if he were to toss his weapon. - FormerParatrooper - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 6:22 am: If the Feds or responsible agencies are not willing to spend money to keep gun offenders locked up, that is not a reason to “highly” regulate gun sales. It is a reason for citizens to pressure the offending agencies to do what is right. Are we now so accustomed to the failures of our elected officials we are willing to think such ideas of increased regulations of anything will solve those failures? - crazybleedingheart - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 7:54 am: “Who cares about facts. Prison is magic! If it hasn’t worked yet, double down, rinse and repeat!” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.