Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000

Release #474-00

 
Contact: Sunny Mindel / Michael Anton (212) 788-2958
  Tom Antennen (DCPI) (212) 374-6700

FBI RELEASES NATIONWIDE CRIME STATISTICS FOR JANUARY - JUNE 2000

New York City Ranks 160th in Crime out of 205 American Cities

Remains Safest City in America With Population Over One Million

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today congratulated Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, the men and women of the New York City Police Department, and community members for continuing to reduce crime in New York City.

New crime statistics comparing January to June 2000 to a comparable time in 1999 released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its Uniform Crime Report (UCR) show that total index crime fell 0.3% percent nationwide between January and June 2000, while New York City's decline was 5.7%. In the Northeast region as a whole, crime declined by 1.2% over the same period.

"Every year we face the same skepticism," Mayor Giuliani said. "People say it's impossible to reduce crime any further after having already reduced it so much. And every year, the men and women of the NYPD prove the skeptics wrong."

"The continuing reductions in crime reflected in this latest FBI study reaffirm what many have come to expect of the NYPD-it is simply the best law enforcement agency in the country," Police Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik said. "I also want to congratulate the men and women of the Department for their continuing dedication and performance."

The FBI's UCR also shows that, among the eight cities with populations greater than one million surveyed by the FBI-Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, and San Diego-New York City continues to show the lowest crime rate. And among the 205 American cities with populations over 100,000, New York City ranks 160th in total crime. The FBI's report is comprised of crime data from jurisdictions with populations of over 100,000 for the first half of calendar year 2000, with the number of cities reporting varying slightly from year to year.

Specifically, New York City continues to be safer than cities such as St. Louis (which has the highest crime rate in the nation), Atlanta (which ranks 2nd), Orlando (3), Dallas (13), Phoenix (38), Houston (60), San Antonio (63), Philadelphia (82), Boston (96), San Francisco (113), Los Angeles (135), and San Diego (157).

The report also shows that over the same period New York City posted the largest crime decline of the seven cities in New York State with populations over 100,000. In fact, of the other six cities-Albany, Amherst, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers-only Yonkers experienced a decline, of 3.7%. In addition, among these seven cities, New York City is the third safest, with only Yonkers and Amherst having lower per capita crime rates.

The chart below shows the nationwide percentage changes in crime as compared to New York City for the period January through June 2000, based on preliminary data by the FBI and the New York City Police Department:

JUNE - JULY 2000 FBI CRIME STATISTICS
NATIONWIDE
CRIME
NEW YORK CITY
-1.8%
Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter
+0.9%
+0.7%
Forcible Rape
-4.3%
-2.6%
Robbery
-9.9%
+0.7%
Aggravated Assault
-0.2%
-2.4%
Burglary
-11.1%
-0.1%
Larceny Theft
-3.2%
+1.2%
Motor Vehicle Theft
-11.0%
-0.3%
TOTAL CRIME INDEX
-5.7%

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