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We need a coordinated response to violence

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Illinois

* From an e-mail…

Dear Rich,

Thank you so much for Tuesday’s article calling violence “a huge public health crisis”—we at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago couldn’t agree more. And we echo your call for “an urgently coordinated response to this disaster.” That’s why we created Strengthening Chicago’s Youth (SCY) four years ago. Like you and your readers, we recognize that it is not just the Illinois Department of Public Health, local law enforcement or any one entity that can solve this complicated problem. This is why SCY supports and helps coordinate efforts among so many government and non-government organizations that are doing this work. This is a true public health approach.

We all have to do our part to prevent violence. SCY encourages everyone to take action to prevent violence through our Focus on Five, which calls for:

· Sustained investment in children and youth. Policymakers must make a commitment to fund programs and implement laws that will enable our young people to reach their full potential. Without strong, consistent support of programs that work, is it any wonder when our children fall farther behind?

· Equitable access to high quality mental health services. We know that violence often stems from generation after generation of being raised in traumatized families and communities. Groups like the Illinois ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Response Collaborative and Lurie Children’s Center for Childhood Resilience are working to address the root causes of trauma in children and support those who have experienced adversity, ultimately helping to break the intergenerational cycle of violence. As many of these partners say, “Hurt people hurt people.” We need to ensure that resources are dedicated to allow every Illinois resident to get the mental health care they need.

· Common sense approaches to gun violence prevention. Research shows that there are gun violence prevention policies that can save lives, including anti-trafficking laws and enforcement measures and evidence-based approaches to keep guns from dangerous people. Let’s bring these policies—like Gun Dealer Licensing—to Illinois to help curb the scourge of illegal guns endangering our children.

· Juvenile justice system that reflects what we know about adolescent development. Adolescents’ brains are not fully developed, and policies should view a child’s involvement with the justice system as an opportunity for intervention to prevent further delinquent behavior. We commend the state for many important reforms that have been adopted over the last several years and hope for continuing improvements—such as adoption of robust wraparound approaches that meet all needs of at-risk youth.

· Sustained investment in strong communities. We know that the toll of violence falls disproportionately on low-income, minority communities and that community and economic development policies can help to rectify this situation. Whether it’s through investing in proven community-based programs like CeaseFire Illinois, improving relationships between police and residents or bringing jobs to the neighborhoods most affected by violence, Illinois is only as strong as the neighborhoods we live in.

SCY would be happy to work with any of your readers to figure out how they can do their part to strengthen and support our youth, families and communities.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Levin, MPH
Director, Strengthening Chicago’s Youth
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 12:22 pm

Comments

Thank you for this. It sounds like a wonderful program.

Comment by CCP Hostage Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 12:33 pm
this is exactly what we need to end the cycles of poverty and violence. this kind of approach can actually help, just tossing in more police just escalates violence. instead of an armd occupation we need programs and services to redirect

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 12:34 pm
Amazing work, just amazing. Your organization is and will continue to do incredible things. I stopped for a minute and said a prayer SCY and for it’s leader Ms. Levin. God Bless you

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 12:41 pm
I wouldn’t call for an armed occupation, but one thing that needs to be done is to get a higher conviction rate on the shooters. Having a 10 percent or so charge rate on shooting incidents perpetuates the problem as the shooters remain on the street.

Comment by truthteller Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 12:44 pm
The political “leaders” get more wound up about a non existent attack from arab terrorists then they do about the everyday violence that occurs.

It is the big event such as a mass shooting or bomb blast that gets the attention. The few murders that occur every day are the news stories that get skipped over.

Many people will read the news about urban violence and rationalize that it isn’t their concern because it didn’t occur near them.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:02 pm
without strong parental commitment all the funding in the world would sadly be wasted

Comment by huey Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:16 pm
The failure of the family, is the main cause of violence!

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:18 pm
+1 Truthteller, though I think there should be a semi-armed occupation of some areas in the form of as strict a curfew as will stand constitutional muster.

Did anyone see the NY Times story on Chicago violence over the weekend? It compared Chicago to Brooklyn (about same population) and one contrast it made was in the number of guns. NY has stricter gun possession laws: we considered those, but rejected them out of justifiable fears it would disproportionately affect young African-Americans and put even more in the system. But maybe we should still reconsider: we may have strict laws on gun sales, but as long as neighboring states don’t those won’t do any good.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:19 pm
Here’s the story I mentioned: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/18/us/chicago-murder-problem.html?_r=0

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:20 pm
@honeybear

I know you consider thoughtful debate with those critical of your position “feeding trolls” but I since you use such superlatives for Ms Levin’s group, can you identify a SINGLE program she’s provided that resulted in a clear reduction in gun violence in a community?

Seriously, I’ve looked, and I’m not aware of any practiced in Chicago.

Comment by Illinois Bob Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 1:43 pm
I dont agree that requiring firearms retailers to acquire yet another license (there is a whole federal agency devoted to overseeing FFLs) will reduce the violent behavior of drug gangs. If it did, Central America would be a model of peace as civilian gun ownership is illegal. I do agree that more emphasis on youth programs and mental health will go a long way. Give a kid hope for the future and you wont have to worry about them looking for it by joining a gang.

Comment by Alskid Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 4:41 pm
Wow, you are such a quality human being Bob. s/

I was being gracious to her. You have no idea what she faces and is trying to do in Chicago. I prayed for her. Now I will pray for you. You are lost. Very few people have I said that about. May a Loving God have mercy on you. It’s incredibly sad to know that people like you exist.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 4:57 pm
Instead of writing love letters to Rich Miller, shouldn’t Lurie Hospital pick up the phone and call Sam Zell? Sam Zell and Bob Lurie were lifelong friends and business partners.

Surely Sam Zell can convince Republican lawmakers and the governor to support their proven violence prevention program?

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 7:51 pm
Old Blue went to the vet and updated his rabi and distemper shot prior to responding to this post. Amen.

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 10:59 pm
“…I think there should be a semi-armed occupation of some areas in the form of as strict a curfew as will stand constitutional muster.”

As long as the curfew is imposed south of you in Chicago, right? Lake County IL still has some semi-rural trailer park types that have not yet been pushed out by the yuppie McMansions.

Sounds like the NRA members who claim to be for “gun rights” but don’t oppose any bills Brandon Phelps puts up no matter how crummy, since they never leave their hamlets.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 2, 16 @ 11:38 pm
Death penalty and tough sentencing will do the trick.

Comment by Tone Friday, Jun 3, 16 @ 12:42 am
Kudos to Lurie Children’s Hospital, and to @Rich for posting this.

The month of May was violent, even for Chicago.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Jun 3, 16 @ 3:33 am
@honeybear

I’ve worked in some of the most violent communities in Chicago for years, including the schools, and I probably know more about the challenges there than you.

I’ve found that there is an “industry” out there formed to lobby for money to address issues like violence, and the effectiveness of the way they spend seems irrelevant to them. The money, and the power it brings to disperse it, is the real goal.

I don’t know Ms Levin, but I challenged you to describe one highly effective program to stop or decrease gun violence that she’s accomplished. You couldn’t identify one.

I’ll mention you in MY prayers for you to get guidance and enlightenment to act for things that work to make things better for those in these desperate communities, not just spending money that does nothing to make the communities more safe.

Comment by Illinois Bob Friday, Jun 3, 16 @ 8:16 am