An economist at the University of Chicago argues that some of our basic views about gun violence are incorrect and that some relatively inexpensive solutions can help. In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Jens Ludwig stands at the boundary between two neighborhoods, South Shore and Greater Grand Crossing. "The two neighborhoods are economically similar, demographically similar," says Ludwig, author of the new book Unforgiving Places. "They've got the same gun laws and they're served by the same criminal justice system. But we've got twice as many shootings per person in Greater Grand Crossing as in South Shore." Why?
In Ludwig's view, it stems from the fact that most shootings aren't turf war battles among gangs, they are routine disagreements that spin out of control. And the reason they spin out of control more frequently in Greater Grand Crossing is that there are fewer people walking around visiting businesses or parks, meaning fewer "eyes on the street." South Shore has far more eyes because it's along the lake. "It's not that the economic conditions are different between the two neighborhoods," he says. It's that, in Greater Grand Crossing, "there are fewer adults around to sort of step in and de-escalate that when it happens."
That leads to an unusual suggestion by Ludwig to curb gun violence: "zoning commercial so that you have more foot traffic in a neighborhood." Or a city might turn a vacant lot into a "pocket park." It might seem superficial, he notes, but studies suggest it works. "This is like very, very feasible, practical stuff," which Ludwig sees as a "definite cause for hope." Read the full interview, which has more details on the theory, as well as on social programs that can be done in schools and prisons to help young adults learn to keep arguments in check. (More gun violence stories.)
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