Senator Kirk Proposes Mass Arrest of Gangster Disciples

Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill) is seeking ways to better help local and federal law enforcement in the City of Chicago combat gang violence, in particular the roughly 18,000 members of the umbrella group Gangster Disciples, and after decades of helplessly watching as do good social programs had little, or nor affect on gang violence, he has a new approach.

And it is definitely raising eyebrows across the Windy City.

Kirk, who previously represented part of Chicago in the House and was elected to the Senate in 2013, is definitely not making friends with his suggestion to spend $30 million on combating gang violence through, what I can only call a Harvey Dent like strategy, to go on the streets and round up any scum even loosely associated with the Gangster Disciples.

It's definitely an interesting concept, one I've actually thought of before, but I'm not exactly sure how City officials could enact if because (1.) it's rather difficult to detain criminal suspects on association alone, see U.S. Constitution, (2.) a war on the streets would break out between police and gang members as mass arrests occur and (3) where are you going to house 18,000 new inmates?

But this isn't to say there is no merit to his proposal. It would give law enforcement serious teeth to battle 250+ splinter factions under the Disciples criminal umbrella, effectively declaring criminal association fully illegal and punishable, which although causing legal concerns would be the definitive tool in not only police hands but the district attorney's, and would open a whole new front to combating Chicago's horrific gangs.

Although I'm split on the issue, the Chicago Tribune is definitely not kind towards Kirk's idea, but what do you think?