>> Crime is down overall both in Chicago and around the country.

So why doesn't it feel that way to some people with crime and safety, a political football this election season and what can seem like a barrage of violence on social media.

The gap between perception and reality.

Sometimes a wide one.

Joining us to talk more about that are 10 gross CEO of the Institute for Nonviolent Chicago and joining us via zoom to Kenya, Nixon attorney supervisor at the Cook County Public Defender's office.

We should note we did invite the Chicago Police Department, but they declined me and to Kenya.

Thanks to you both for joining us.

Let's start with a little bit of context, OK?

So most crimes saw a decrease within the last year, including homicide, which was down 8% from last year.

Robbery down 10% and theft down 4%.

Now the changes are even bigger compared 4 years ago for homicide and burglary.

Not so much for some other crimes.

Question to both of you.

to you first.

Why do you think that most of the public believe that crime has gotten worse?

>> There is a lag Russert of the numbers and perception be saying cranes they the story this week, someone good cause jacket on the mall sign for them.

This is a traumatic event.

I was at the hospital supporting my friends from another village, new life.

02:03AM, in the morning.

It's actually.

It's traumatic and painful.

So those still find too much.

We're doing good and positive things and probably will touch on that on that.

But we're still 5 from out of the European and other countries in terms of levels of violence.

>> To Kenya, Nixon, same question to you.

What has some people in the public believe that it's gotten worse?

>> I think it's because of the narrative that is being placed out there about especially Chicago crime.

All you hear are really on the news on social media outlets is And, you know, and as was mentioned, there are carjackings that are happening.

There are rivalries that are happening.

so people are only highlighting focusing on the things that are currently taking place and not really looking at the numbers to see that the crime has actually decreased.

>> It seems to me that there's also sort of, you know, if there's a constant drip, drip, drip of, you know, the like, as you said, the carjacking here or the break-in or the shooting there that that might have an effect.

But also it is a personal experience.

If you experience it to you, it's happening with frequency.

>> I mean, we we see what we're building here in Chicago is close.

Tamara Call.

I should something to be proud of Illinois from the governor to the speaker.

The president on the way down.

We're building a civilian protection to that involves now almost 2000 people's most of them with backgrounds on vote 9 positive, addictive.

It getting stipends we have tonight.

20 allows staff working towards a BA degree.

people had backgrounds would no hope.

What do you want in a city?

Hopeless people or people with hope?

So we're working with this.

We know it's going to take 15 when we have dead daily shootings of 9 teams respond to and we stay up and nitrogen today does a painful the mothers lose the kids.

Another pod is we have seen an escalation of weapon or a double edge of the lost as well as the amount of switches.

So you can build all that good.

There's of the setbacks and threats to what we're trying to build the most sophisticated system so by no means anywhere close to a gulls.

But what is happening in Chicago now has 100 from business community to raising more than 100 million dollars to do this.

the rest of the country is looking at this something I should we you talk about the White Sox?

We're actually going to be off as it as someone came from the East Coast to work in Chicago loves this city.

I'm very proud of many sectors.

It's not just one SEC to it's not just the community, which is really what can always what con the business and the foundation community now really working hard to change the narrative and the result today.

In fact, we don't want to change in day without a roof act.

So a recent Gallup poll found that more than three-quarters of Americans think crime has increased nationally in the past year.

>> To Kenya, a lot of the conversation around public safety has to do with access to guns, especially illegal guns.

>> And 10, you just mentioned a moment ago, the changes in weaponry and there are reports of an increase casings that are being found at shooting scenes Chicago's homicide rates are down, but gun-related arrests are rising to Kenya.

What is what's the story there?

>> what I've seen working as assistant public defender can Cook County.

It's that although the gun related rest are increasing their poor possession only and a lot of times people who are being arrested for the possession of a gun on have a firearm owners identification card and are being accused of carrying within their vehicles improperly.

So while the numbers seem to look like people in Chicago, we're just carrying guns and that the gun arrest on the rise.

The people who are being arrested on our for all intents and purposes, law abiding citizens living, you know, given firearm owners identification card and just needed additional training as to how they shared carry weapon when they're inside of there for you.

>> Tony, what's what's the role of the police and trust in the police in the perception of crime?

>> illegal >> activities isolation thrive when days, no legitimacy to a government.

So.

>> Police reform was extremely important to really, really important to rise the most visible of a government.

And they need to people.

taxpayers and unable as ages of 7 is that he's fast.

That is not heavy handed.

And I think again, the business community's raising resources to really push police reform and modernize what is going on.

There's a lot of hardworking people in the police department, but they still some flaws from the past that we need to get right.

What kind of you work closely with CPD on this?

And you're an advocate, of course, for police reform.

What kind of reforms with Aiden in improving public perception?

>> I think when do you need to rely on pot and as a treatment the amount law enforcement as opposed to just an arrest is a treat when right to an arrest.

>> Let's say we reduce violence by 10% by the by all this tentative.

When you reduce crime by police in Tampa.

let's say they equal.

This is going to be jailed.

That's more expensive.

This is removing and dad may be on mom from the house.

Maybe the kids victim.

Now it's a lifelong consequences.

10% by group like I people deal Nicole takes an addiction.

Now someone is staying in economy to staying at home that may be improving the life.

A very different outcome.

2 different treatment.

So the public health community treatment is really important to strengthen in a city that will function well.

>> It's a Kenya.

How do you think most people perceive or miss perceive the criminal legal system?

>> So I believe people who are not involved in the criminal legal system.

I have this idea it works and the unfortunate parties is.

All right.

The criminal legal system as it exists today.

Did.

Racism and if you look in the courtrooms, at least in my experience look at courtrooms, you see nothing but black and brown people were being accused as only black and brown people City of Chicago.

And so it gives appearance in the idea and its board this narrative that black and brown people are criminals and that we need more can seen in those particular areas.

so people are thinking like, oh, this is the month working.

It's getting people, you know, were committing crimes act the straight yes.

>> sorry to interrupt.

But obviously, subject to segment about perception and misperceptions is going to you know, lots of different ways that people judge in misunderstand the criminal legal system that but I know you spent a lot of time working in and 10 girls that