Chicago murders decline 42% in first quarter 2013

[petronius]

8. This article supports* something that is often suggested here in the RKBA Group

Namely, that the best approaches to reducing crime and violence are not gun control, they are active policing, education, economic development, jobs, and social opportunities. Seems like the powers-that-be in Chicago are crediting exactly this thinking:

In the first quarter of the year, murders dropped 42 percent over the same period last year and shootings were down 27 percent -- reductions that authorities say were fueled by anti-gang initiatives.

...

Since Pendleton's murder, the Police Department has put more officers on the street and City Hall is beefing up after-school and summer job programs to stop youths from falling in with gangs.

* With the caveat that quarter-to-quarter and/or year-to-year trends really don't tell us much...