David Kennedy thinks he knows how to stop gun violence in America’s cities, and he says, contrary to public debate and popular opinion, it’s not that hard.

Kennedy, a criminologist at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, is being taken very seriously by the Chicago Police Department; they have been implementing his ideas about violence reduction, which appear in his new book, Don’t Shoot.

The CPD began implementing Kennedy’s Violence Reduction Strategy in two police districts; Chicago police officials expected to add a third district in the next few weeks.

WBEZ’s Robert Wildeboer recently caught up with Kennedy at Chicago’s police headquarters during a recent visit with officers and command staff to discuss how to bring down local homicide numbers.

He said the traditional answers to gun violence, such as improved schools, job programs and gun control, have not worked.

Music Button: Ancient Astronauts, “Nocturna”, from the CD Into Bass and Time, (ESL)