City crime rate deterring visitors

My husband and I have lived in the Chicago area for our entire lives. We spent many good times in the Loop enjoying dinners, walks along the lakefront, the Air and Water Show, holiday decorations along State Street and Michigan Avenue, just to name a few activities. We spent a substantial amount of money over the years including weekends in downtown hotels.

Frankly, now we are fearful of going into the Loop and surrounding areas (i.e. Rush Street) due to the rate of crime not only happening during the evening hours but also in broad daylight. When will Mayor Lightfoot admit it has nothing to do with gun-control and licensed gun owners as the guns always seem to find their way into the nonlicensed criminal's hands.

If I am not mistaken, Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, so why is the crime rate so high? We need police enforcement and jail time for offenders. Defunding and hamstringing the police and a criminal justice system that favors criminals over victims is not working and is driving people like us and our dollars away from the city. It won't be long before we won't even be able to safely walk suburban streets at this rate.

Denise Kennedy

Wheeling