Substantive policies, not dog whistles, needed to reduce crime

Illinois State Rep. Chris Bos of toney Lake Zurich in Lake County, sure traveled far afield to blow a conservative dog whistle over rising crime in Cook County.

Bos, who’s District 51 contains a tiny slice of Cook County, wastes Legislative resources introducing a bill to recall Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, blaming her for rising crime. Using no statistics to back his bill with zero chance of passage, Bos is simply posturing to shore up his ‘tough of crime’ bonafides. When Cook County State’s Attorney spokesperson Christian Villarreal responded with high prosecution and conviction figures in line with previous administrations, Bos had no comment.

Rather than frivolous, unhelpful posturing about crime, Bos might consider substantive legislative measures tackling massive availability of guns and lack of community resources to improve housing, education and job opportunities in crime ravaged communities.

Bos has a platform to improve opportunity, thereby reducing crime on Chicago’s South and West sides. Sadly, he squanders that platform to grandstand on a measure adding no value whatsoever to a critical social issue.