I’m not an expert in the sociology of crime. I basically just set this blog up to start a discussion and highlight the issue of crime in Madison. Why is it on the rise? I’ll throw various theories I have heard against the wall and see which ones get discussed. I also encourage others to present ideas and concepts.
Theory One: Is Chicago to blame?
Over the past decade Chicago has been making a concerted effort to tear down much of it’s low income housing. The plan is specifically called the “Plan for Transformation.” Doing so has left a large number of individuals transient and seeking new places to call home. For a long time Rockford (and of course Milwaukee) was the beneficiary of these lost souls, have they now begun making their way up to Madison? It is important to note the connection between “resource deprivation” and “hidden economies” when discussing crime. The more diplaced individuals who arrive in Madison and can’t find the proper resources would be more inclined to take part in the “hidden economy.” The hidden economy includes everything from larceny to drug dealing.
From Shelterforce Online:
“Overall, roughly 75 percent of all CHA families have expressed an interest in returning to their old neighborhood. Yet, conservatively, fewer than 20 percent will be able to return because units for poor families do not meet demand and the eligibility rules for poor families are prohibitive. The Relocation Rights Contract, which specifies the rights of the CHA families and the obligations of the CHA, offers the right to return to all lease-compliant families but does not guarantee that all families displaced by redevelopment activity will be able to return to their original site. According to the contract, in order to be lease-compliant a public housing tenant should: 1) be current with rent or be in a payment agreement, 2) have no utility balance with the CHA or be in a payment agreement, 3) be in compliance with the CHA lease and 4) have a good housekeeping record.”
The article goes on to say that the Chicago Housing Authority has failed in tracking many of the displaced families:
“Since the redevelopment began, the agency has not fulfilled its obligation to track relocating families, and its relocation efforts have not produced the planned results. Because CHA public housing stock has been home to many different types of residents, including undocumented residents and squatters, fears of homelessness and “lost” households abound. Several factors have contributed to the flawed relocation process: tenants’ tendencies to relocate into high-poverty African-American neighborhoods, counseling agencies relocating families into certain segregated areas, families’ limited exposure to Chicago’s more diverse middle-class neighborhoods, the limited capacity of the CHA and limited social services information being provided to families.”
The question to ask is are we feeling the impact of Chicago’s potentially poorly executed plan up here in Madison? This is why we need a proper homeless census. We need to know where the homeless are coming from, how many there actually are, and how many truly are transient? Obviously the homeless and poverty stricken are not the soul cause of crime and we have to be careful not to scapegoat any one segment of the population.
