WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

A Chicago-area school once infamous for its violent culture begins to heal itself through peaceful practices.

On Friday, WBEZ and WNYC are co-hosting a special two-city call-in to discuss how each city approaches the fight against gun violence. We're live from both cities (9 a.m. CST and 10 a.m. EST) to discuss how the New York Police Department and Chicago Police Department are trying to curb violence, and how communities are reacting to different policing strategies.

Of the roughly 30,000 gun deaths last year, 20,000 were suicides. And the number of suicides by guns is higher in states with more guns.

Indiana state lawmakers refuse to give the city of Gary the legal authority to fight crime.

Starting next week, we will explore the various gun laws around the region, how they came to be, whether they are enforced and how they affect our lives. That's our next series from Front & Center. Flashpoint: A look at our region's gun laws.

Is our world overpopulated or underpopulated? Some reports indicate overpopulation can have an immediate impact on our world's environment and our ability to provide food, water, shelter and social economic opportunity for all.

The Heartland Alliance’s Social Impact Research Center released a report today that suggest nearly a third of Illinois residents live in or near poverty.