CITYWIDE CRIME FALLS 43.8% SINCE 1993
MURDER DOWN 60% SINCE 1993
Overall crime in New York City has fallen 43.8 percent since 1993, fueled by a 13 percent reduction in 1997, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir today announced at a press conference in the Bronx's 46th Precinct. Preliminary figures for the first half of 1997 show that crime continued to fall in each of the seven major crime categories and in each of the City's five boroughs. The preliminary figures also show that this year's six-month overall decline of 13 percent, which includes a 29.4 percent decline in murder, is even greater than the 11.6 percent decline during the same period last year.
The 46th Precinct in the Bronx, commanded by Deputy Inspector Terence Monahan, was chosen as the site for today's press conference because it led the City with a 31 percent decrease in total crime for the first six months of the year. The Mayor and Police Commissioner took the opportunity to praise the men and women of the precinct and the 38,000 officers of the Department for their continued commitment to reducing crime and for significantly improving the quality of life in all of our City's neighborhoods.
"Over the past three-and-a-half years, New York City has become the safest large City in America," Mayor Giuliani said. "New Yorkers in every neighborhood and every borough should feel safer in their homes and in their communities. The City's overall murder rate has declined by 60 percent since 1993. Stranger-on-stranger murder, the component of crime which most frightens citizens, is occurring much less frequently. Based on preliminary 1997 data, the Police Department estimates that approximately 70 to 80 percent of the murders occurring in New York City are committed by people known to one another.
"The New York City Police Department, led by Commissioner Howard Safir, has continued the historic reductions in the City's crime rate," the Mayor continued. "The Department's innovative use of CompStat -- the computer system used to track crime -- and the crackdown on quality of life crimes have had a major impact on crime in New York City. The anti-drug initiatives in upper Manhattan and northern Brooklyn also contribute significantly to our success," the Mayor added.
"The reduction is particularly impressive in the 46th Precinct. Overall crime in the precinct is down 30 percent this year over last and down 50 percent since 1993. The number of murders in this precinct has been cut more than half since 1993. A very important factor in this decrease has also been the work done by community leaders and groups, who have worked hand and hand with the Police Department to produce these declines," the Mayor concluded.
Commissioner Safir said, "Today's statistics are a reflection of the dedication of each of the men and women of this Department to reducing crime and returning our City's neighborhoods to all New Yorkers. Today also demonstrates the success of Strategy '97, a comprehensive series of initiatives introduced earlier this year aimed at addressing those concerns that have the most impact on New Yorkers, including the fight against property crime, violent drug gangs, and a continued emphasis on removing guns from our streets. While we will continue to fight crime, the Department's commitment to our communities is also paying off with a more than 20 percent drop in the number of CCRB complaints lodged by citizens against the Department. "
According to preliminary statistics compiled through the Department's CompStat reporting system, crime dropped in each of the five boroughs, with murder dropping by double-digits in each patrol borough. The dramatic Citywide decreases are as follows:
- Murder fell 29.4 percent since 1996, and 60 percent since 1993;
- Auto theft dropped 17.2 percent since 1996, and 53.6 percent since 1993;
- Robbery declined 16.4 percent since 1996 and 48.7 since 1993;
- Burglary fell 15.1 percent since 1996 and 45 percent since 1993;
- Rape declined 10.1 percent since 1996 and 16.5 percent since 1993;
- Grand larceny dropped 7.0 percent since 1996 and 33.7 percent since 1993;
- Felonious assaults dropped 2.3 percent in 1996 and 25.5 percent since 1993;
The number of shooting victims since 1996 declined 27.4 percent and the number of shooting incidents this year fell over 27.6 percent compared to last year.
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