City cites Crime Lab data in funding innovative youth program

The city of Chicago will provide an additional $2 million to expand a violence reduction program that has been shown to be effective in research by the University of Chicago Crime Lab , Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Feb. Emanuel made the announcement at a news conference where he described the city's plans to invest in proven programs for at-risk Chicago Public School students to provide pathways to jobs, life skill training, guidance, and safe alternatives to drugs, gangs and violence. He praised the work of Crime Lab in identifying the effectiveness of the violence prevention program, Becoming a Man-Sports Edition (BAM). "The greatest thing we can do as a city is give our children the support they need to succeed in the classroom, get jobs and build successful and enjoyable lives," Emanuel said. "We are investing in programs that have shown significant return on investments—they have reduced failing grades, reduced arrests, increased graduation rates, kept our youth out of gangs, and made a difference in keeping our most vulnerable children safe." Jens Ludwig , director of the Crime Lab and the McCormick Foundation Professor of Social Service Administration, Law and Public Policy at UChicago, said the city's move shows the impact of violence-prevention studies. "It is fantastic that the city is paying attention to what is effective in combating these problems." The new funding will allow 2,000 boys to take part in BAM, which Crime Lab has found to reduce arrests for violent crimes by 44 percent.