Crime kills cities. Crime also kills the soul of cities.
When people face danger each time they go outside, they going outside for more than the minimum. They sometimes engage in the mind-destroying habits of denial and delusion about their situation. That is what kills cities.
Cities are more than just raw population statistics. They also encompass the daily rituals of binding from common participation. When people pay the mass transit fare, they buy into the maintenance of the system they use. When they go out to eat, the experience of spending time with friends binds people together…