Chicago topped nation in 2003 homicides [America's murder capital..]

NJ.COM ^

[Sub-Driver]

CHICAGO (AP)

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

New York, with about three times the population, ended the year with 596 homicides

When Dinkins was mayor, New York murders topped 2000.

I remember when he kicked off his campaign with a speech to inmates at Riker's Island.

His constituency was incarcerated in prison.

That was when New York was mad as in "mad dog"!

[Vigilanteman]

Yeah, I'm waiting with baited breath for the nightly reports going "Two more murders in Chicago today, making the annual total 187 so far, or 12,367 since Democrats have held a monopoly on the Mayor's office. </ sarcasm>

[PAR35]

Raw numbers are statistically irrelevant. Murders per capita is a better statistic to use. Either the AP reporter is ignorant, or has an agenda.

[LA Conservative]

"Los Angeles, which had the most murders in 2002 at 658, wound up 2003 with an estimated total just under 500."

Go 3 Strikes!

[HelgaHawk]

Puerto Rico ended 2003 with a total of 779. Ugh!

[Prince Charles]

Since Mayor Dummy has planted so many nice flowers and put up so many nice-looking wrought-iron fences, I think we should give him a pass on this.

[alloysteel]

How do the Chicago numbers compare to Baghdad? I understand a lot of people there are armed and ready to use weapons....

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

But this can't be! Chicago is supposed to be a safe haven, since guns are virtually banned.

[Myrddin]

Chicago's gun control laws are very effective at keeping guns out of the hands of law abiding people while doing nothing to keep them out of the hands of street gangs.

I'll bet Chicago doesn't want to reveal the racial/ethnic breakdown of the victims and perpetrators. That would really expose their agenda.

[Burkeman1]

Boston had the lowest in decades this year- only 41. But "assaults" (bar fights) have risen sharpley (I blame the smoking ban in bars.) Far cry form the height of the crack years in the mid and late 80's when Boston had 2 to 3 hundred murders a year.

[Mark was here]

Have yet to see the statistics broken down by race.

[Crow357]

Maybe we need to pull out of Chicago. It's a damn quagmire!

[litany_of_lies]

I heard on the radio that Baghdad had fewer murders in October 2003 than NY City (low 50s vs. mid-50s).

[neverdem]

Happy New Year

[Nov3]

Wait you can't have pistols in Chicago. You cna't even buy ammo without a FOID! This is a mistake!

[litany_of_lies]

Good point. Chicago's results are horrible, but on a per capita basis Detroit's 365 for their roughly 800,000 population (may be more like 700,000 at the rate people are continuing to stream out of the city) is more than double Chicago's 599 for 3.2 mil or so (Chicago's pop has been increasing a little).

[DumpsterDiver]

Los Angeles, which had the most murders in 2002 at 658, wound up 2003 with an estimated total just under 500.

We just haven't found all the bodies yet. Give us a few more days.

[jwalsh07]

Interesting that more Americans were killed in Chicago in 2003 than were soldiers killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Wonder if Peter Jennings will be giving us a nightly update with a smirk on his face?

[DumpsterDiver]

Peter's an annoyance, ain't he? I just click right on by when I see his face.