With the close of 2017, New York City marks three new crime reduction benchmarks: the first time the total number of index crimes has fallen below 100,000; the first time the number of shooting incidents has fallen below 800; and the first time the total number of murders has fallen below 300. This reduction in murders has resulted in the lowest per-capita murder rate in nearly 70 years. Additionally, several other index crime categories have achieved historic reductions, including: robbery, burglary, and grand larceny auto.
For 2017, there were 96,517 crimes reported, compared with 102,052 in 2016. This is a reduction of 5,535 crimes, or -5.4%. There were 290 murders reported, compared with 335 in 2016. This is a reduction of 45 crimes, or -13.4%. There were 1,446 rapes reported, compared with 1,442 in 2016. This is an increase of 4 crimes, or +0.3%. There were 13,950 robberies reported, compared with 15,528 in 2016. This is a reduction of 1,578 crimes, or -10.2%. There were 20, 013 felonious assaults reported, compared with 20,917 in 2016. This is a reduction of 904 crimes, or -4.3%. There were 12,048 burglaries reported, compared with 13,035 in 2016. This is a reduction of 987 crimes, or -7.6%. There were 43,082 grand larcenies reported, compared with 44,484 in 2016. This is a reduction of 1,402 crimes, -3.2%. There were 5,688 grand larceny autos reported, compared with 6,311 in 2016. This is a reduction of 623 crimes, or -9.9%. There were 789 shooting incidents reported, compared with 997 in 2016. This is a reduction of 208 shootings, or -20.9%.
“Crime in New York City has reached a new low,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “The murder rate hasn’t been lower since the Korean War. As we celebrate this New York miracle, we continue deepening relationships with the public, emphasizing the shared responsibility we have to our safety. I am confident we can do more. And we will. It is an honor to lead this organization and be a part of the change we are seeing across the nation’s safest city.”
“Last year was the safest year in modern New York City history. To see crime levels as low as we have today, you’d have to go back to 1951, when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn and a slice was 15 cents. I want to thank Police Commissioner O’Neill and the entire NYPD for continuing to raise the bar and remaining steadfast in their commitment to keeping our city safe,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I want New Yorkers to know, this is just the beginning. As our neighborhood policing vision deepens and residents work with police officers in common cause, the flow of information will stop crimes before they happen and we will continue to build trust between communities and law enforcement. This department never rests on its laurels and America’s safest big city will get even safer.”
There were 2,441 crimes reported in the Transit Bureau in 2017, compared with 2,429 in 2016. This is an increase of 12 crimes, or +0.5%. There were 4,844 crimes reported in the Housing Bureau in 2017, compared with 5,238 crimes in 2016. This is a decrease of 394 crimes, or -7.5%
Historical NYC Uniform Crime Report Murder Count
Year Count Rate Per 100K NYC Total Population
1939 291 3.9
1940 275 3.6
1941 268 3.5
1942 265 3.5
1943 201 2.6
1944 228 3.0
1945 292 3.9
1946 346 4.3
1947 333 4.2
1948 315 3.9
1949 301 3.8
1950 294 3.7
1951 243 3.0
1952 309 3.9
1953 350 4.4
1954 342 4.3
1955 306 3.8
1956 315 4.0
1957 314 4.0
1958 354 4.5
1959 390 4.6
1960 390 4.6
1961 483 6.2
1962 507 6.5
1963 548 7.0
1964 636 8.1
1965 634 8.1 7,781,984
1966 654 8.2
1967 746 9.4
1968 986 12.4
1969 1,043 13.2
1970 1,117 14.1
1971 1,466 18.5
1972 1,691 21.4
1973 1,680 21.2
1974 1,554 19.6
1975 1,645 20.8
1976 1,622 22.9
1977 1,557 22.0
1978 1,504 21.2
1979 1,733 24.5
1980 1,814 25.6
1981 1,826 25.8
1982 1,668 23.5
1983 1,622 22.9
1984 1,450 20.5
1985 1,384 19.5
1986 1,582 21.5
1987 1,672 22.8
1988 1,896 25.8
1989 1,905 25.9
1990 2,245 30.6
1991 2,154 29.3
1992 1,995 27.2
1993 1,946 26.5
1994 1,561 21.2
1995 1,177 16.0
1996 983 12.2
1997 770 9.6
1998 633 7.9
1999 671 8.3
2000 673 8.4
2001 649 8.1
2002 587 7.3
2003 597 7.4
2004 570 7.1
2005 539 6.7
2006 596 7.2
2007 496 6.0
2008 523 6.3
2009 471 5.7
2010 536 6.5
2011 515 6.2
2012 419 5.1
2013 335 4.0
2014 333 4.0
2015 352 4.3
2016 335 3.9
2017 290 3.3 8,537,673
Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.
