Wednesday, August 31, 2016

USING DATA, NOT DRAMA, TO COMBAT CRIME


    USING DATA, NOT DRAMA, TO COMBAT CRIME

Even though every major city in the U.S. is suffering from similar problems with significant increases in gun-related violence, Chicago has sadly become the media poster child (hopefully just for the moment) and the go-to TV, cable and web whipping boy specifically for gang-on-gang shootings and the related and random violence which continues to take innocent lives in its wake. While this is clearly a mounting national crisis and by no means limited to Chicago, one ray of local sunlight is that Chicago may have some of the best heads, analytical tools, and technology in the country for figuring out how to get ahead of the flood of weapons, wounds and widows which is swamping certain parts of the city almost every day.

It’s clear that recent cases of police misconduct have certainly intensified the attention being paid to Chicago and the nature and volume of the ongoing conversations, but instances of officers’ illegal actions don’t explain and are certainly no justification for the new levels of violence which are primarily a result of hundreds of cases of a known and relatively small number of gang members shooting members of their own and other gangs.  A city of more than 2.7 million people is being plagued and terrorized by the actions of a few groups of thugs and criminals primarily located in 5 geographic districts in the city. And about 80% of the criminal action is centered in just 3 of those 5 problem areas. But the reputational damage to the city and the psychological impact on its residents is far more broadly distributed and felt.

According to our new police superintendent, Eddie Johnson, who spoke recently to a group of senior business leaders, while Chicago may have as many as 100,000 individuals who self-identify as gang members, there are only about 1400 real thugs, criminals and felons who are doing almost all the shooting. Superintendent Johnson also pointed out that the CPD’s proprietary Strategic Subject List (SSL) – now in its 5th iteration and developed with support from the University of Chicago Crime Lab – directly identifies the bad actors and scores each one on a scale from 1 to 500 in terms of propensity to commit and/or otherwise be involved in violent crimes. 85% of the expected gang shooters and gang shooting victims over the next reporting are already specifically identified on the SSL list.  The remaining 15% are the innocents who get caught in the mayhem and wounded or killed by these morons.

Certainly, the ease of access which the thugs and felons have to cheap and readily available guns (largely from unregulated gun shows held in states adjacent to Illinois like Indiana and Wisconsin with lax gun laws and little enforcement) has increased the likelihood that there will be more and more actual shootings (rather than simply fights and beatings) in the course of gang confrontations. Chicago’s police force confiscates more illegal weapons each year than the total guns taken off the streets of New York City and Los Angeles combined.

There are many other opinions being offered by every talking head in town and elsewhere as to additional contributing causes, but only the most modest amount of real data and concrete, actionable information. Stupid judges who prematurely and repeatedly release gang members and convicted felons with rap sheets full of prior gun offenses certainly don’t help the situation. Jail and prison officials who promptly push out parolees (with only a small fraction of their sentences having been served) are demonstrably prioritizing creating space in their cellblocks over citizen safety. Shoplifters on average spend more time behind bars than shooters.  And we certainly can’t leave the task up to the media which always prefers to lead the nightly news with whatever bleeds. That sad and sick situation (where ratings rather than reason or any sense of responsibility rule the roost) is unlikely to change any time soon.

It’s clear that we all need to take a breath and work on improving the substance of our arguments, and the effectiveness of our tactics, instead of simply raising our voices.  Having some actual facts and figures available to all of us which we can use to move the discussions forward productively will also help us to identify and start working in the direction of some viable solutions. As the old saying goes, anyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but there’s only one set of facts for everyone.

Progress is being made. Under Superintendent Johnson’s direction, the Chicago Police Department is using new data-driven analyses to help develop and drive alternative approaches to the community (including the known criminals) in a number of ways.

First, there is an increased emphasis on conversations, rather than confrontations. Less immediately visible police presence at events and demonstrations actually leads to less likelihood of escalation and violence.

Second, there are more and broader opportunities being identified for communication efforts that get ahead of the possible problems rather than crisis management actions that are entirely reactive in nature. Always better to avoid the pothole in the first place than to get a great deal on the cost of the tow truck.

Finally, active advance intervention and direct involvement with especially vulnerable SSL-identified gang members (accompanied by various offers of support, employment and other relief) are showing real results in reducing the likelihood of those individuals’ violent behavior.

You can’t ultimately answer the questions for these kids, and some will always choose the wrong path, but at least we can show them some concrete alternatives to losing their freedom or their lives or, worse yet, accidentally killing someone else.




AON - Cubs CEO Event


















1871's WiSTEM Program Wins SBA Grant along with Bunker Labs and Good Food Accelerator

SBA Announces $3.4 Million for Small Business Startups

68 winners in 32 states will receive funding to boost economic impact of growth accelerators across the country

WASHINGTONAug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation, Office of Native American Affairs, and Office of Veterans Business Development, along with the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Education, announced 68 winners of SBA's third annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.  The recipients will receive a total of $3.4 million in prizes to boost the economic impact of accelerators across 32 states and the District of Columbia. 
In making the announcement, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet said: "SBA created the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition in 2014 as a way to make new connections and strengthen existing bonds within America's small business support network, bringing entrepreneurs and innovators together and connecting them with local and national resources that support small business job creation and growth. These awards deliver on a longstanding commitment at SBA to strengthen and modernize these support systems especially in parts of the country where access to capital has been a major barrier to starting a business. This year's winners show that our efforts are bearing fruit and further cementing our nation's most pioneering accelerators, incubators and innovation hubs as major players driving America's technology startup ecosystem."
The purpose of the competition was to draw attention and funding to parts of the country where there are gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. While there are entrepreneurial activities occurring nationwide, some are better supported by private sector ecosystems than others. SBA has created connective tissue among the over 200 winning entrepreneurial ecosystems now part of the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition program. 
"Accelerators serve entrepreneurs in a broad set of industries and sectors – from manufacturing and tech start-ups, to farming and biotech – with many focused on creating a diverse and inclusive small business community.  Through this national competition, we are also empowering accelerators which are led by and support women or other underrepresented groups.  SBA will continue to explore ways to creatively harness this powerful network and connect startups with one another and with available government resources.  We reported to Congress 138 winners from 2014 and 2015 – made up of 5,000 companies that have raised $1.5 billion and employ nearly 20,000 people.  With the addition of the 2016 winners, the number of SBA supported entrepreneurs will significantly grow,"  Contreras-Sweet added. 
Applications were judged by more than 100 experts with entrepreneurial, investment, startup, economic development, capital formation and academic backgrounds from both the public and private sector.  The first panel of judges reviewed over 400 applications and presentations and established a pool of 200 highly qualified finalists.  The second panels evaluated the finalists' presentations and pitch videos and selected the 68 winners.
Each organization will receive a cash prize of $50,000 from the SBA.  In accepting funds, the accelerators will also be committing to quarterly reporting for one year.  They will be required to report metrics including jobs created, funds raised, startups launched and corporate sponsors obtained. This will allow SBA to continue building upon its database of accelerators and their impact, and to develop long-term relationships with the startups and constituents in these innovative and entrepreneurial communities.
The 2016 Growth Accelerator Competition Award winners are:
406 Labs
Bozeman
Mont.
ABQid
Albuquerque
N.M.
AccelerateHER™ Inc.
Williamsburg
Va.
AlphaLab
Pittsburgh
Pa.
Authentically Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Portland
Ore.
Autonomous Alley
Grand Forks
N.D.
Ben Franklin Techcelerator
Harrisburg
Pa.
BIG Accelerator (formerly FOCUS)
Atlanta
Ga.
BioAccel (Southwest Commercialization Center)
Phoenix
Ariz.
Bioscience & Technology Business Center
Lawrence
Kan.
BioSTL Fundamentals
St. Louis
Mo.
BoomStartup Online
Salt Lake City
Utah
Bunker Labs
Chicago
Ill.
Chef Space
Louisville
Ky.
Cherokee Center for Cultural Art and Technology
Cherokee
N.C.
Circular Board
Houston
Texas
Civic Accelerator
Atlanta
Ga.
Coalition for Queens
Long Island City
N.Y.
CONNECT
San Diego
Calif.
Creative Startups
Santa Fe
N.M.
EforAll
Lowell
Mass.
Fannin Innovation Studio
Houston
Texas
FAST (Fellows All Star Team)
South San Francisco
Calif.
FastForward
Baltimore
Md.
Good Food Business Accelerator Incubator Without Walls
Chicago
Ill.
GVS Transmedia Accelerator
Kona
Hawaii
Harlem Biospace
New York
N.Y.
Ho'okahua Capacity-Building Accelerator
Waimanalo
Hawaii
IGNITE Community Accelerator
Albuquerque
N.M.
Innosphere
Fort Collins
Colo.
Jefferson Education Accelerator
Arlington
Va.
La Cocina's Business Incubator Program
San Francisco
Calif.
Lansing Proto
Lansing
Mich.
Launch – Chattanooga
Chattanooga
Tenn.
Launch Alaska
Anchorage
Alaska
LaunchTN Network
Nashville
Tenn.
Local First Delta Spark
Little Rock
Ark.
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Los Angeles
Calif.
Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives
Worcester
Mass.
Maui Food Industry X-celerator
Kahului
Hawaii
MedTech Innovator
Los Angeles
Calif.
Mergelane
Boulder
Colo.
Mortar
Cincinnati
Ohio
mystartupXX at University of California San Diego (UC San Diego)
La Jolla
Calif.
Native American Business Incubator Network
Flagstaff
Ariz.
Native Entrepreneur In Residence
Albuquerque
N.M.
NeuroLaunch
Atlanta
Ga.
New Biz Launchpad
Wardensville
WV
New England Pediatric Device Consortium
Lebanon
N.H.
New Orleans BioInnovation Center
New Orleans
La.
NewSchools Ignite/WestEd Research Partnership
Redwood City
Calif.
North Shore InnoVentures, Inc.
Beverly
Mass.
Phase 1 Ventures at the University City Science Center
Philadelphia
Pa.
Prince William Science Accelerator
Manassas
Va.
PROPEL at the iBIO Institute
Chicago
Ill.
SCAPE Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs
Durango
Colo.
Startup Tucson
Tucson
Ariz.
Tamp WaVE
Tampa
Fla.
Texas Health Catalyst
Austin
Texas
The Refinery
Westport
Conn.
The Rosie Network's Military Entrepreneur Center
San Diego
Calif.
The Wedge
Tacoma
Wash.
Upstate Accelerator
Buffalo
N.Y.
Veteran Incubator
Brooklyn
N.Y.
Village Capital
Washington
D.C.
WIN for Life Sciences Entrepreneur Mentoring Program
Seattle
Wash.
WiSTEM (1871's Women's Program)
Chicago
Ill.
XLerateHealth
Louisville
Ky.
For more information about accelerators and the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, visit: www.sba.gov/accelerators.  
ABOUT THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.  The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United StatesPuerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guamwww.sba.gov

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