Chicago Crime Commission

Since 1919 the Chicago Crime Commission has worked towards improving the criminal justice system in Chicago by creating and supporting solutions to crime. Its historical focus has been on educating the public about organized criminal enterprises. The Commission was the first to release a list of top criminals in the area, which was known as the Public Enemies List and featured gangster Al Capone as "public enemy number one." The FBI later adopted this list and transformed it into the FBI's "most wanted". Organized crime has evolved since the creation of the Chicago Crime Commission. Today, organized criminal enterprises consist of gangs who control the illicit drug market. Gangs and residents of the neighborhoods controlled by them are using illegal guns to resolve disputes at an alarming rate, imposing an increasingly greater risk of violence on all Chicago residents. The Chicago Crime Commission's goal is to advocate for sensible and promising programs and policies which focus on the central issues to Chicago's crime problem; gangs, guns and drugs. The Commission does this by partnering with the academic, philanthropic, business and civic communities to identify, advocate for, and educate the public about promising programs and policies. Currently we are working to support community based crime prevention programs, producing educational material and seminars, and consulting with a number of legislative bodies on key issues such as gun policy, gang prosecution and gambling.