26 The Chicago Murder Epidemic ShyAirus Brown Arizona State University CRJ 520: Seminar on Violent Crime Dr. Jayn von Delden April 26, 2024 Abstract The Chicago Murder Epidemic is a phenomenon that is not new but has historical roots going back in time, and it is also associated with some social and economic factors that exist among people within society today. This research paper wholeheartedly explores the tremendous problem while paying attention to theories coming from micro-sociology and socio-structural levels. Utilizing insights from Randall Collins' "Violence: With this said, sociological theories go into detail as to the torrid condition that became the problem in the community (Collins, 2022). The situation requires an …show more content…
One such division is that of race and economy, whereby impoverished neighborhoods are the determining factor of injustice (Aspholm, 2021). High unemployment, difficulties in access to good education, and shortages of livelihood options as a whole build a conducive environment for crime. In addition, these conditions lead to a situation of despair as well as separation among youth because they tend to lean more on the gangs to survive and have a sense of power. As this root cause is deeply ingrained in economic underdevelopment, a holistic approach is required that entails economic mobilization, education reform, and developed social support systems. Gang Violence Grid violence is still a dominant problem within Chicago, and environmental piracy is a main factor in this, making local gangs fight for the control of certain territories and illicit markets. Mass murders by gangs are not only the continuation of war but also the bloodshed and revenge cycles that enabled the proliferation. On the other side, some of these kids are lured in by gang life and the promises of both