By Debbie Emery - Breaking Celebrity News Reporter

This year has seen a startling explosion in crime in Chicago, with the murder rate increasing by 25 percent in the Windy City in 2012, making it the highest in more than a decade.

The number of homicides currently stands at more than 400, with the police estimating that at least 75 percent are gang-related, prompting Mayor Rahm Emanuel to lecture gangs over the outbreaks of deadly violence, reported ABCNews.com.

In June, the Chicago police announced a $1 million partnership with CeaseFire, which uses ex-gang members to mediate conflicts in a controversial deal that put 40 interpreters on the streets of two of the city's most violent neighborhoods.

Four of those involved are now opening up in the ABC News special Hidden America: Don't Shoot I Want To Grow Up, which airs on World News With Diane Sawyer on Friday night, and Breaking Celebrity News has a sneak preview of the ey