Visconti

Been many years since I've last visited the Windy City. These days, how's the walk from, say, a hotel on the Million Mile to the symphony hall during the evenings? Is there a high probability of getting robbed or hassled along the way?

Ordinarily, I wouldn't care if I were by myself, but this time I'm taking my youngest daughter. We can always take a taxi, but I've always enjoyed that walk and I suspect she would too--it'll be her first time in Chicago.

GUWonder

It doesn't seem to be a high probability, based on my acquaintances who have used the University Club around there and been evening walkers. They have been fine. I also have been fine when walking from the Monroe Blue line CTA stop to the Hyatt or IC in the evenings. But often it's quiet enough south of the Chicago River that my suggestion would be to take a taxi if it's in the evening and concerned. Day or night, predators are more likely to prey on those who come across as less confident, so do what makes you comfortable. The busier the place/time, the safer it's likely to be from more than a pick-pocket.

It seems to me that the average mugger would typically try to stay away from robbing a parent in front of an obvious young child, the major exception being when there is a drug addict mugger around. [Thieves who break into houses also seem to be less likely to rob things from children's rooms or tend to leave children's rooms and homes faster than homes/rooms occupied typically only by adults.] In other words, you may actually be safer on the streets now because of your traveling with your daughter than you would otherwise be.

Visconti

Ah, I can say, at least during my visit, the area around Michigan Ave & the Gold Coast were fine, safe and mostly pleasant. While we didn't venture too far south of Whacker and only out to the Chicago Symphony & Art Museum, the walk was pleasant enough and felt safe, even for families. At least during our visit, we didn't hear any gunshots, tales of brutal muggings, and the homeless on the streets were minimal.

Mostly there for what may be Riccardo Muti's conducting Beethoven's 9th for what is likely his final year at the CSO. Sometimes, the timing in life is just remarkable, and I had no idea this concert would have coincided with current events when I had bought these tickets several months ago.

Snuggs

Things are definitely looking better. The mayor is up for re-election, so law and order is back in vogue, arrests are up and crime is down.

I hear that SA Fox is back to charging people for crimes, now that her own fed indictment may be looming.

Did they ever find 500 counselors/therapists to replace the equal number of cops that were chased away?

GUWonder

"Arrests are up and crime is down"? Are they increasingly arresting people for non-crimes?

The State's Attorney Foxx -- who has received multiple death threats in the course of her time as SA -- has been charging people for crimes throughout the course of her career as a prosecutor. She certainly didn't close up shop.

Snuggs

Where is the correlation between death threats and doing your job? And yeah, for quite a while she effectively closed up shop to violent crime.

I suppose when you admonish cops for arresting members of flash mobs for beating tourists senseless, and demanding that the perps be released, you could make some enemies. But we all know that those people are not the one’s doing the threatening.

And I suppose all those that believe you have a legal right to stage a hate crime would be huge supporters.

There’s a certain denial when one lives it day to day. Just because you haven’t been victimized, recently or otherwise, doesn’t mean it’s safe. It means you have adapted. It’s called being anesthetized. How can you be street savy and not see that? Easy, I did it for 40 yrs.

The SA’s office has been trying to do their job, but it’s hard when your boss fights you tooth and nail. Those ASA’s are some of the real Chicago heroes. The specter of re-election has caused Fox to suddenly change her tune. And she is throwing thise ASA’s under the bus, blaming them for the lack of violent crime prosecutions. God Bless Dan Webb. Hopefully his recommendations get Fox disbarred. But there’s more just like her.

But as said, cops now see a point in arresting criminals, and ASA’s are prosecuting. Things are definitely better in Chicago.

GUWonder

She didn't close up shop. There were quite the string of prosecutions and convictions under her watch as SA. Police in Chicago have been arresting people throughout her tenure as SA.

I am neither anesthetized nor desensitized. Chicago's tourist destination areas neither have been nor are the peddled hellhole some die-hard partisans try to paint it out to have been or to be while Foxx has been SA. Foxx neither can change nor has changed the city.

Snuggs

I stand corrected.

Things are better in Chicago now

Apparently now that this contrived conspiracy to embarrass a dedicated public servant has ended.