The Paw Print

By Luna Randall and Annabel Simon, Staff Writers

Have you ever been fresh out of the freezing cold, trying to get home, when all of a sudden you see a large commotion? Perhaps two people are fighting, parents are yelling at their kids or someone is using the train as a private restroom. Since just this September, the commonly cited beginning of colder months, over 1300 offenses have been reported by the CTA. That marks the most crimes perpetrated since Covid.  Many people, Payton students included, have noticed an upwards trend in CTA  disturbances during the colder months. This observation could very well be due to fatigue as the school year drags on, causing people to notice disrupting things they might have ignored before. Yet, if you look at yearly statistics and the conditions the city puts people through, there is clear evidence as to why people may exhibit more risky behaviors during the wintry months.

One reason for the increase in harmful behaviors could be due to the effects of the climate on citizens. During the winter, train usage usually increases due to walking being unfavorable in the cold. Certain citizens have to rely on the train as their sole place of warmth.  According to a statistic found by the City of Chicago’s annual report on homelessness, the homeless population in Chicago has reached 7452 civilians. Among these people, there are about 1316 individuals left unsheltered. During the season, many find shelter in Chicago’s train system, which offers a heated, indoor area for only 2.50$. Unhoused people often deal with mental health struggles, according to an NIH study that found that “more than half of homeless and marginally housed individuals had traumatic brain injuries – a rate far exceeding that of the general population.” Mental health in tandem with unstable housing may lead to defensiveness or dangerous behaviors, especially during the colder months where housing is even more important. 

This issue is systemic, arising from impoverished areas of Chicago not receiving adequate housing or educational support, which can leave citizens destitute without homes to turn to. The way the city treats unhoused people factors into this as well. Despite many initiatives to aid unhoused people and shelters across the city, some may feel they cannot turn to these resources because they are underfunded or unhelpful. Shelters, while great resources, are often incapable of housing the constantly rising number of homeless civilians. In addition, people of color may feel endangered while looking for resources, in response to I.C.E targeting popular refugee areas. There are also not many mental health services available to the unhoused, which can continue the cycle of homelessness, and lead to dangerous public incidents.

Another explanation for increased discrepancies during colder months could be delays due to inclement weather, causing hold ups or slower commutes. People take public transport with the expectation of being taken to their intended destination on time. But switch freezes, third rail ice or increased traffic can cause people to be late for work, school, or important events. This looming threat puts people on edge. When people are tense, especially when put in carts with larger numbers of people than usual, they will be more disposed to conflict. One Payton student, Zeeba Kruse ‘29, recounts an unpleasant experience on the ‘L’ in these circumstances.  

“Last year, during winter when I was riding the train home from practice, there was this group of later teenage men who were vaping, and smelled strongly of weed at the back of the train car I was in, everyone seemed deliberate on avoiding them and getting as far away from them as possible. My brother and I followed suit.”

Trains may be getting more risky during the winter months. The unhoused population needs refuge now in the colder months more than ever. The ability to go into a shelter period, let alone a shelter where you don’t need to fear being deported, is a right we must offer to our unhoused citizens. While only the city of Chicago can make the final call on implementing these changes, us civilians have a say, whether that comes in the form of writing to our congress or protesting oppressors. As a pillar of Chicago, the CTA should also try to improve its responses and preparation for the cold. The Chicago community has much work to do in improving conditions for those who rely on the train for warmth in the winter. Hopefully, through new initiatives and community effort, we can remain safe and keep the train a safe space for riders year-round.