Confronting Violence In Boston

Boston's brand new Mayor, Marty Walsh, has put confronting urban violence at the top of his agenda. Although the murder rate has been dropping in recent years — there were 40 killings last year in Boston — most of them were concentrated in the same parts of the city: in Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.

Walsh said yesterday at his inauguration, that while 40 homicides are fewer than the year before, they still represent "40 grieving mothers too many."

In his first official meeting as Mayor, yesterday Walsh brought together mothers of children killed by violence, members of the law enforcement community, the clergy — and others — to talk about how to stop the killing.

We speak to three participants from that meeting, all of whom have been involved in this challenge for many years, and paid a heavy price for the violence.

Monalisa Smith, President and CEO of Mother's for Justice and Equality in Roxbury. Her 18 year-old nephew was gunned down in 2010.

Kim Odom, field director for Citizens for Safety's Operation L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K.  Her 13 year-old son was shot and killed in Dorchester in 2007.

Rev. Jeffrey Brown, former executive director and one of the founding members of Boston's TenPoint Coalition.

WBUR, "MAP: 2013 Boston Homicides"