A number of folks have claimed in letters to the editors of various fishwrappers around the Portland area that crime along the light rail line is essentially concentrated in Hillsboro on the west end, and in Gresham on the east end. They argue that talk of eliminating "Fareless Square" - which encompasses essentially all of downtown Portland on the west side and extends to Lloyd Center on the east side - is just silly, because there's almost no crime in "Fareless Square". 
Well, that's not entirely true. As the illustration clearly indicates, "Fareless Square" is essentially awash in crime. Dark red indicates over 500 per year, while the lighter red indicate "only" 300 to 500 in a year.
It's not as bad as it looks, though, as fully 53% of the "crimes" are just little ones like larceny: that's where they steal your wallet or your purse, but they don't hit you over the head. Another 22% are car prowls, which is also technically larceny, as all they do is bash in your window and steal whatever they can get. Actually, only 6% of the crimes in "Fareless Square" involve assault, which is defined as an attack intended to severely injure or kill. Don't you feel safer, now?
