In 2012, Chicago amassed 506 counts of homicide, making it the country's murder capital. While murders in the windy city have dropped drastically since the 1990s (By comparison, there were 943 homicides in the city in 1992) 2013's statistics are already troubling. There were 43 murders in Chicago in January alone. What will this mean for the rest of the year?

The homicide rate in Chicago received widespread media coverage last summer after 152 deaths occurred between June and August, leaving the city and its leaders under scrutiny as the nation waited for someone to take action.The death of Hadiya Pendleton, an honor student who performed at President Obama's inauguration and was killed just a week later, proves that action has yet to come.

Pendleton's murder, while devastating, has yielded an important outcry for a discussion on gun control. President Obama rose to the challenge, addressing the growing gun violence in the city, and the need for more restrictive laws. Just hours after the conclusion of his speech at Chicago's Hyde Park Career Academy, 18-year-old Janay McFarlane, whose younger sister attends the school and was present for the speech, was killed after being shot in the head.

Chicago's murder rate may not be a revelation, but it's a problem that can no longer be ignored. If decisive action isn't taken, 2013's homicide rate may exceed last year's already staggering number. Here are ten reasons why.

Written by Julian Kimble (@JRK316)

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