UpClose With Ciera Bates-Chamberlain

This month’s member spotlight features Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois. Bates-Chamberlain was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. She is committed to furthering the fight for social and economic justice by strengthening communities through radical theology.

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Recent Posts

Crime in Chicago: What You Need to Know

President Trump recently renewed his calls for federal intervention in Chicago to address crime and violence. This brief examines trends for 13 different crime types in Chicago going back to 2018.

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Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2026 Update

Examining changes in 13 offenses across a sample of 36 large U.S. cities, CCJ’s mid-year analysis shows crime has continued to fall in the first half of 2026, with homicide likely dropping to another historic low.