Durbin Calls On Attorney General To Join Effort To Curb Youth Violence In Chicago

Press Release

In a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on oversight of the Justice Department, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss the on-going efforts of the Obama Administration to curb the wave of shooting and youth violence in Chicago. Durbin and Holder discussed actions that the Department of Justice and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley are undertaking regarding the safety of Chicago school children.

"Last school year, more than 500 Chicago school children were shot and at least 36 of them were killed," Durbin said. "This is not a chance occurrence but, unfortunately, is a developing pattern of tragedy. We need to work with the Obama Administration and state and local officials to end this devastating violence in Chicago."

Durbin noted that he has called on the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan to join in this effort saying, "No one in Washington knows the Chicago schools better."

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