Chicago violence rises, takes psychological toll on youth

Insight

Chicago violence rises, takes psychological toll on youth2

Shootings in Chicago are up nearly 90 percent this year compared to last, and murders are up more than 70 percent. Chicago Tribune said 336 people have been killed this year, compared to 490 for all of last year. If this pace continues, that would mean more than 600 people would have been killed in Chicago in 2016.

CCTV America’s Roza Kazan reported violence on the youth of Chicago.
Follow Roza Kazan on Twitter @rozakazancctv

Robert Thomas, a local resident, turned to poetry to express frustration with the rampant gun violence in Chicago. His cousin was shot when he was seven, and gun violence was part of his everyday life.

“Growing up on the South Side, after a while you kind of grow used to it ’cause it’s like – shootings here, shootings there, so it’s like oh OK, they’re shooting over there, just don’t go over there, it becomes normal,” Thomas said.

He said awareness of the dangers has made him stronger. But the gun violence has taken a psychological toll.

He also said When he was walking down the street, he always watched his back, no matter what, head up, never looked down at his phone.

Chicago had its deadliest first quarter since 1999. On average, someone gets shot nearly every three hours. Critics are calling for more policing..

But Trina Reynolds-Tyler, Illinois African American Coalition for Prevention, believes the problem runs deeper. “Our education system fails us, our unemployment system fails us, the resources that we have available in our neighborhoods, they fail us, we have no resources,” said Tyler.


Chandra Ghosh on violence impact to youth

CCTV America’s Mike Walter interviewed Chandra Ghosh, associate director of Child Trauma Research Program from University of California, on violence impact to youth.