There is an unemployment crisis in Chicago, particularly affecting young people of color, according to a new report by the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Nearly half of black men 20-24 in the city are "disconnected," meaning out of work and not enrolled in school.  

A YAP youth is quoted in the article, speaking to his belief that increased job opportunities would lead to a decrease in violence across the city:  "If more jobs was opened up to the youth, there wouldn't be nobody killing. They would be thinking about a check and the way that they would be able to eat," Wood said, speaking at a Monday morning conference on the joblessness crisis. "If we had more programs like [the Youth Advocate Program] ... I feel as if there would be less violence going on and more youth employment."