Episode 60: After years of steady declines, crime rates have been trending upward over the past few years. And as the midterms approach, this topic is getting lots of attention, with many Republicans focusing on public safety as a prime appeal to voters. Rick Kyte and Scott Rada discuss several high-tech tactics designed to reduce crime and how to balance privacy concerns with public safety.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

The governor of New York says the installation of two cameras on each New York City subway car is supposed to giver commuters the sense that “Big Brother” is watching over them and to offer people “peace of mind.”

Stoplight cameras are not new, but some states are looking to expand them, while others are looking to ban them.

Congress is considering a bill limiting the use of facial-recognition to apprehend criminals.

Cities across Texas are deploying drones to fight crime.

In an article titled “The best way to end mass incarceration is to catch more criminals,” Matt Yglesias says mandatory collection of DNA for those who have been convicted of a felony is a great deterrent.

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

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