National perceptions of Chicago violence don’t match up with reality

National perceptions of Chicago violence don’t match up with reality
National perceptions of Chicago violence don’t match up with reality

National perceptions of Chicago violence don’t match up with reality

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Chicago’s murder rate is down but the city is still perceived as the murder capital of the U.S., and a dangerous place to visit. Recently the French government warned its citizens to keep away from Chicago’s South and West Sides when visiting the city. Talk show host and activist Rev. Al Sharpton is making periodic visits to Chicago to “bring attention” to groups combating violence. So why does this image persist, even in the local press? Does the city need Sharpton to lend a hand? We get some answers from WBEZ’s Natalie Moore and Dr. Rosalind Blasingame-Buford of BUILD Inc. Photo: Flickr/afagen