On Monday, Chicago Public Radio’s signature news and talk program, Eight Forty-Eight, featured a sobering “barbershop” discussion about the culture of gangs and violence that continues to ravage Chicago’s inner-city communities. Since last September, more than 70 Chicago Public School students have been shot; 36 CPS students were killed during the 2008-09 school year; and the brutal Sept. 24 beating death of 16-year-old Derrion Albert made global headlines when cell-phone video of the deadly riot went viral. Chicago Public Radio’s Richard Steele led this revealing discussion with a panel of both young and older African American men. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the reasons behind the epidemic of violence in our urban communities, and how we can begin to reverse the trend, this 16-minute radio segment is worth your time.
