New York Will Kill You

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Hamilton Nolan

03/21/08 03:18PM

Filed to: Murder

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Here's something else for you to do this weekend: avoid getting murdered. New York City's murder rate this year is up by 26% compared to last year [NYDN]—and just in time for the NYPD to cut 1,000 officers! Far be it from us to advocate for more cops, but this seems like it might be a problem. The police department argues that regardless of the increase, it's still the second-lowest murder rate in the city's recorded history. Okay fine, but that might not last long with all those Michael Bloomberg-branded firearms for sale now. Below, a handy NYC crime report with weekly, monthly, and yearly perspectives. Now go buy your gun.

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raincoaster Hamilton Nolan 03/22/08 02:27AM

@digitalsmoothie: Can't be. I've been executed five or six times. Well, not recen- Shhhhhhh.

What's interesting to this former crime reporter is that NYC has about the same population as Canada and a much lower murder rate, unless these painkillers have me more befuddled than I think.

weazel Hamilton Nolan 03/21/08 04:09PM

I moved in in 1990, won't say how much, but rent went DOWN 15% in mid 90s due to mortgage refininacing cost savings pass-along. My rent now is 30% higher in nominal dollars then when I moved in. Perhaps because the landlord wanted to save all the rent increases and sock us all at once (declared illegal) partly because he wanted to keep us.

SarahHeartburn Hamilton Nolan 03/21/08 03:42PM

Compared to the mid 80's, bupkis. As I remember from sociology in college, there is frequently a bump in stats after a lull due to better reporting in an area when the stat collectors have more experience reporting on an area. And the crime rates are going up in many big cities due to more stuff to steal (hell, the average bag now yields a cell phone, MP4 player, designer sunglasses, more than one credit card, etc.)Murder rates go up when the killers start using bigger weapons; they usually go down a few years later when the emergency room docs get used to the bigger guns.

Cheap Shot Hamilton Nolan 03/21/08 03:50PM

The fucked up thing is bias crimes. Hearing about people I know being targeted for simply being white in the wrong neighborhood is sad.

I grew up in NYC and have completely lost my street smarts because it's been so safe now.

I wonder, when I move my sadult ass back home if I'll end up homicidal?