Chicago’s gangs have changed

This column summarizes conclusions from a recent conference on gangs and violence in Chicago. It reports that “The old hierarchical super-gangs, fighting citywide over control of drug trafficking, are largely gone. African-American gangs have fractured into different types of cliques and neighborhood peer groups, affiliated more with rappers than with the old gang chieftains.” Associated violence is “more expressive than instrumental,” calling for different strategies by police and the rest of the city.

Tags: Illinois