Officially, crime is down in the city of Chicago.‚  Most notably, the murder rate dropped by 11 percent (although some experts say that the sky-high 2008 rate is the real story here).‚  Murders dropped even more dramatically in Gary-- the lowest number in more than 20 years, says the Post-Tribune. Great.‚  But 2009 was also the year of Derrion Albert -- a Fenger High School student beaten to death on his way home from school-- and Gurgett Singh (a gas station attendant in Gary shot during a robbery last summer). For our Daily Thread for Jan. 5, we asked people how violence touched their lives -- and how that stacked up against the official numbers. Tracy Siska of the Chicago Justice Project kicked things off by asking and answering a few riddles"¦and this pair became our daily snippet:‚  Why police shouldn't get credit for a lower murder rate -- and when is a shooting not a shooting? TALK: When is a Shooting Not a Shooting_Tom with Tracy Siska_-_Siska is director of Chicago Justice Project The others are good too:

• How drug busts cause violence -- and why cops ignore most drug dealing.
• Why many (most?) violent offenders don't do time.
• Why police aren't to blame when violence goes up.

"¦ or hear the whole interview. Tracy had competition from this sad minute from some of Derrion Albert's schoolmates. The Daily Snippet is clipped from Vocalo's Daily Thread, where we bring lots of different voices together to respond to a topical question.‚  Tuesday's thread was, "How has violence touched your life?"‚  Today, in progress:‚  "Post-black?" (Picture modified from "Bullet I found in a drawer" by JinglyJon.)