70% of Big Apple residents said they were “somewhat” or “very” concerned about crime in a new poll.
File photo by Dean Moses
Crime continues to be atop the minds of New Yorkers, with one recent poll finding a significant majority of residents being fearful they will become another victim.
The poll comes even as the NYPD recently reported significant drops in murders and shootings during the first half of 2023, and small decreases in other major crimes such as burglaries and robberies.
The Siena College Research Institute released the findings of a wide-ranging survey of Big Apple dwellers on Wednesday, which found that residents are becoming increasingly concerned about perceived lawlessness in New York.
According to the study, 70% of New York City residents are very (30%) or somewhat (40%) concerned that they will be targeted in a serious crime, while 57% of respondents said they were fearful for the safety of themselves or their families in public places like schools, stores or houses of worship.
The organization’s chief researcher highlighted their troubling findings, and noted the impact that constant fear of crime has on New Yorkers.
“More worrisome is that a majority of New Yorkers say that they are concerned about their or their family’s safety when thinking about being in public places, the places we all go, including schools, stores or religious institutions,” Don Levy said in a statement. “Crime and the threat of crime is on the minds of many of us as we simply go through our everyday lives.”
When asked about their current level of concern relative to the past, 39% of respondents said they have “never been this worried about my personal safety.”
On the streets, subways and other public places, 41% of respondents say they’ve been “threatened by a stranger’s behavior.”
New Yorkers also have not been living in fear silently, according to the survey — as 38% of people claimed they have called the police…
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