Cities, cycling and crime

A Boston Globe article today illustrates a disturbing trend but does it well in its report on the increase in violent crime in smaller cities. The article presents the statistical data showing smaller cities and towns like Arlington and Haverhill have seen an increase in violent crime this year, while Boston, New Bedford and others have exhibited a decrease. To back up the statistics, the article turns to police and the state's secretary of public safety. One of the most descriptive elements of the article, though, is the inclusion of anecdotes that support the theory that criminals are literally moving their crime to places with less law enforcement, as evidenced in the story of a Somerville gang that kidnapped a man there and then brought him to neighboring Arlington to kill him.

On the other side of the country, Portland is shown as a model city in the New York Times article on its bicycle-friendly culture. The article profiles the city's relationship to cycling and the growth of many bicycle-related businesses in recent years. The story of the woman quoted in the lede, who moved to Portland to find a job in "non-motorized transportation," strikes an idealistic note that is countered by the slight skepticism in discussing the business opportunities that the city's cycling culture provides. The article does not ignore the realities of American car culture, though: it points out that even Portland is not 100 percent safe for riders, as two cyclists were killed after being hit by trucks in October.

An article in The Times of London offers little in the way of actual news from the MI5 chief, who spoke about the increasing threat of terrorism as al-Qaeda recruits teenagers in the U.K. Jonathan Evans, MI5 Director-General, spoke to the press about changes that seem to have been well-documented in the media already. Perhaps given the lack of "news" in his speech, the article could have been supplemented with outside reporting to comment on what it framed as his main claim--the increase in recruiting of British teens by al-Qaeda.