In urban population centers such as New York and San Francisco, the pandemic has wrought not only the first-order effects of the disease itself, but also broader symptoms of social unrest and disrepair. Crime — and violent crime — is on the upswing after a mostly uninterrupted decades-long decline.

More disturbing still has been a notable increase in hate crimes. Between January 1 and May 2, the New York Police Department (NYPD) recorded 180 reported hate crimes; that compares most unfavorably with the 104 reported at this point last year. Much of this surge is attributable to a significant rise in …