In this episode we feature an interview with Prof. Todd Clear from the School of Criminal justice at Rutgers University. Clear is one of the top voices in criminology as his resume includes stints as a Distinguished Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, president of The American Society of Criminology, The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and The Association of Doctoral Programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Our discussion with Clear focuses on the uptick in gun violence in many cities around the country and how there are many warning signs that America may take steps backwards in responding to this violence. Many cities, like Chicago for example, have seen an uptick in gun violence and is also experiencing a huge increase in the call for the return of draconian policies we know don’t work but make great headlines in the media.

Clear details how the huge increase in gun purchases starting in early 2016 and continuing in to 2020 and the onset of the world wide pandemic were predictors that we were going to see gun violence increases. Clear also discusses research he was involved in that looked at 50 years of crime. This research flies in the face of the constant calls for longer sentences to be handed down by judges.

Also on the show today we discuss a terrible report by WGN TV news about the CPD’s Gun Recovery Numbers and how they are being manipulated. This is a practice that has been ongoing in Chicago for decades so one has to wonder why this report is being done now.