9 Feature Stories We're Reading This Week: Detroit's Rape Crisis And Letting Kids Be Kids

There's currently a backlog of over 11,000 untested rape kits in Detroit. Emily Orley introduces the prosecutor who's attempting to change that — and the hurdles she faces. Read it at BuzzFeed.

Hanna Rosin discusses the shift toward hyper-safe playgrounds, one that hasn't actually resulted in kids being safer, and in fact has a negative effect on their development. A new playground instead allows kids to literally play with fire — and may be the solution. Read it at The Atlantic.

Kim Severson discusses a highly skilled burglar who investigators believe made off with $12 million of fine silver from nearly a hundred homes in six Southern states over three years: "For most victims, the lost silver was an irreplaceable link to their history and their ancestors. They had become caretakers of the family legacy, and in a flash, it was gone." Read it at Garden & Gun.

A fascinating look at the Danish identical twins behind cult breweries Mikkeller and Evil Twin: "The Bjergso brothers have opposite temperaments: Mikkel is reserved; Jeppe is an extrovert. And they are not on good terms, despite — or rather, because of — their shared infatuation with beer. They haven’t spoken to each other in more than a year." Read it at The New York Times Magazine.

Iris Mansour discusses the 6% of cancer patients who are 15 – 39, and the unique challenges they face. "Young adults battling cancer must face tortuous questions: Will my boyfriend or girlfriend abandon me to the demands of my disease? Can my friends relate to me anymore?" Read it at Mashable.

It's been eight years since the Duke lacrosse team entered the national spotlight. Some of the players who were falsely accused of rape have moved on. But for Ryan McFadyen — who sent an email to teammates that became fodder for media speculation — the past hasn't been so easy to leave behind. Read it at Vanity Fair.

Charles C. Mann reports from China: "Because most Americans rarely see coal, they tend to picture it as a relic of the 19th century, black stuff piled up in Victorian alleys. In fact, a lump of coal is a thoroughly ubiquitous 21st-century artifact, as much an emblem of our time as the iPhone." Read it at Wired.

This Tuesday, Mike Jirschele will spend his first Opening Day in the major leagues. It's only taken him 36 years to make it to the majors — but he's finally getting the call as a coach for the Kansas City Royals. His story only starts with baseball, though. Read it at ESPN The Magazine.

Rapper Young Thug could be hip-hop’s next big star, but his career has hit frustrating music-industry roadblocks along the way. Naomi Zeichner asks how that happened — and what can labels do for rappers now, anyway. Read it at BuzzFeed.