Over $100 MILLION .
Yep, Chicago had 88 fewer murders last year (415). A good thing, right? Sorta. It was only 20 fewer homicides than occurred in 2011( 435). The number of homicides in 2012 was 503.
But that took over $100 million dollars in overtime (partially because the City has chosen to reduce their police officers for several years running, but still.
And a significant portion of the "savings" was just changing the definitions of "Homicide" to reduce the numbers. "Figures lie and Liars figure" and all that....
But even if we take the numbers at face value (a risky proposition) and assume that the extra police presence made a difference (doubtful) then the city had to spend $1.136 MILLION for each homicide that they (supposedly) reduced in a calendar year.
Worth it? Not to most people. More than 70% of these homicides were drug or gang related.
You'd think that with all the budget and pension issues that the city has, they'd not spend all that money saving lowlifes in the South Side of Chicago.
(not that there is anything but causal evidence that the extra money spend on police presence really made a difference anyway).
What is a human life worth? Depends on the human, doesn't it? Is it worth over a million dollars to "save" a gang member or drug dealer (but I repeat myself) from being murdered by a rival? I'm not so sure.
Seems like a lot of money for a dubious level of return.
It would most likely have been cheaper to hire private bodyguards for the gangbangers, or buy everyone in "High risk" areas a bulletproof vest.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course that 88 is a real number. No way it could just have been a fluke based on nasty weather or anything like that. it HAS to be because they "Did something"
Morons. Chicago is the new Detroit, the only difference being they have a butt-boy in the white house who has helped to keep them propped up for a little longer. Fuckem, let them rot.