Crime in New York City Continues to Rise
When you think of crime in New York City, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a crowded subway. Despite the subway’s large number of passengers, New Yorkers are still about three times as likely to be killed in an accident as those who don’t ride the subway. Nonetheless, there is a good reason for this: New York City is still the most dangerous place in the United States. There are many areas where crime is high, and the most dangerous areas are small pockets where the crime is worse.
However, despite this, overall crime in New York City continues to rise. While homicide rates rose slightly year-over-year in June, they were still nearly a third higher than they were in the 1990s. In June alone, the NYPD recorded 125 shooting incidents, compared to 165 shooting incidents a year earlier. June’s numbers were also higher than May’s, although the rate is slightly higher than last year. Overall, there have been 660 shooting incidents reported in New York City between Jan. 1 and July 3 this year, compared to 762 during the same period last year.
The NYPD’s operating budget increased in July 2022 by $5.6 billion, an increase of 7.4%. The increase is largely attributed to an expansion of overtime and revamping of the anti-gun teams. However, some opponents of the mayor’s plan point out that the city shouldn’t depend on the police as a panacea. There is no single solution to the crime problem in New York. The city must invest in other solutions to fight crime.
