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Oct 02

Here’s How Police Mapped the Seedier Side of San Francisco’s Chinatown

Here's How Police Mapped the Seedier Side of San Francisco's Chinatown

In the 1880s, San Francisco’s Chinatown was a den of thieves, sin, and debauchery—at least according to the police. To that end, the SFPD set about creating a comprehensive map of the neighborhood’s vices. But was this effort genuine public service or was it merely an attempt to villainize a rapidly growing minority population?