Chicago Area Project

In 1934, Clifford Shaw, a University of Chicago sociologist, established the Chicago Area Project (CAP).[2] CAP attempts to resolve local problems, such as gang violence, substance abuse, unemployment, and delinquency.[2] CAP's goal is to stop delinquency by calling locals to actively engage in community self-development.[2]

CAP has 40 grassroots organizations and special projects that seek to develop young adults and end juvenile delinquency using community building.[2] CAP associates, alliance partners, and special projects are in less-fortunate neighborhoods in urban areas of Chicago and across Illinois.[2] They offer different services in which they act as mentors, trainers, and facilitators.[2] Every affiliate is independent and focuses on the specific needs of a neighborhood and its people, which are determined by its leaders.[2] CAP has partnered with nationwide professional and local organizations.[2] They offer programs to help youth service workers become skilled, trained, and to advance their work with young adults.[2]

CAP uses a 3-way approach in order to deal with delinquency and the core causes of it by having direct services, advocacy, and community organizing.[2] CAP enables a diverse group of community stakeholders to improve neighborhood environments, decrease anti-social behavior in young adults, protect children from inappropriate institutionalization, and offer children and young people with role models for their own development.[2]

By implementing continuous advocacy projects and special projects, CAP has contributed to changing workforce development, juvenile justice, welfare and various more.[2] CAP serves local organization and young adults by playing as facilitator, and grant manager.[2] The CAP community works towards solving issues that are neighborhood-specific by using external resources and resolving them.[2] By training and technical assistance, CAP partners with other grassroots organizations assists families and adolescents. In so doing, CAP improves, strengthens, and enhances community life.[2]

Clifford Shaw was a strong believer that juvenile delinquency in Chicago was due to deteriorating conditions in neighborhoods.[3] Notable sociologists from the University of Chicago and the Illinois Institute for Juvenile Research supported Clifford Shaw.[3] He was doubtful of psychological reasons for delinquency and of associations that strived to improve specific delinquents. As a result, he established CAP as an improved version of a grassroots community organization.[3] CAP sponsored community organizers made up of locals in high-delinquency neighborhoods.[3] Shaw also worked with other existing organizations for example the Catholic church which was in a mainly Polish neighborhood of Russell Square.[3]

Initially, CAP's programs had 3 predominant forms.[3] Firstly, it arranged recreation, the Russell Square Community Committee (RSCC) sponsored athletic clubs.[3] Secondly, it improved neighborhood environments; the RSCC along with community locals created a summer camp and cleaned up community parks.[3] Lastly, it helped delinquents; workers arranged informal guidance sessions for many young gang members.[3] Workers collaborated with police and teachers when young people were having problems in school or were arrested.[3] Furthermore, when neighborhood youth were on parole, CAP leaders supervised them.[3]

In the 1930s there were only 3 community groups, which then grew to 80 in the late 1960s.[3] In a lot of the neighborhoods, helping African Americans and Hispanics succeeded the European ethnic groups who CAP first assisted.[3] CAP has consistently been a powerful instrument in community organizing.[3]

• Organized crime in Chicago

• Official website