NYPD Announces December 2023, End-of-Year Citywide Crime Statistics

 

Shootings, murder, burglary continue declines as stubborn vehicle thefts drop in December; ongoing reductions seen across most major crime categories in 2023

Murder, burglary, and the obstinate category of grand larceny-auto each saw sizeable reductions across New York City in December 2023 compared to the same month in 2022, adding to continued overall reductions in five of the seven major index-crime categories for the entire year. Shooting incidents decreased by double-digit percentages for the month and the year, as well, claiming 416 fewer victims over the course of 2023 – the fourth-lowest number of shooting victims in New York City in more than three decades. Overall index crime dropped by 409 incidents, or 0.3% (126678 vs. 127087) citywide, compared to last year.

“At the beginning of our administration, shootings in New York City were at a 15-year high and murders were at a 10-year high, but we vowed to combat the pervasive sense of lawlessness,” said Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “It is clear today that the NYPD’s laser-like focus on those who carry illegal guns continues to drive significant reductions in violent crime all across our city. There is always more work to do in every neighborhood, and we will remain relentless in our mission. We will redouble our collaborative efforts with each of our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that everyone who lives in, works in, and visits New York City is safe – and feels safe, too.”

A data-driven organization, the NYPD applied its precision policing methods to areas of high crime in 2023, positioning thousands of uniformed police officers on foot patrol in the neighborhoods that needed them the most. The powerful deterrent to crime achieved – for the second year in a row – shooting reductions in all five of New York City’s geographical boroughs. For the year, shootings dropped by 320 incidents (974 vs. 1294), or 24.7%, citywide. In the month of December, shootings decreased 15.3% (72 vs. 85). Concurrently, NYPD officers arrested nearly 4,400 people for illegal possession of a gun in 2023, and took almost 6,500 illegal firearms off the streets – elevating to 13,552 the total number of guns seized since January 1, 2022.

This intensive work to thwart gun violence created a ripple effect across other violent crime categories. Murders – which rose for four consecutive years before the current administration was installed – fell by 11.9% (386 vs. 438) in 2023 compared to 2022, and by 33.3% (24 vs. 36) in December 2023, compared to the same month a year prior. While the number of reported rapes increased in December by 17.3% (129 vs. 110), the category saw a drop of 10.5% (1455 vs. 1625) for the full year. Similarly, the category of robbery increased by 22.1% (1572 vs. 1287) in December, but fell by 3.1% (16902 vs. 17442) for the year; while grand larceny rose 1.5% (4323 vs. 4259) in December, but dropped 2.5% (15802 vs. 13741) for the year. Felony assault – driven by assaults against police officers – increased 6.2% (2154 vs. 2028) in December, and by 6.3% (27849 vs. 26195) for the year. While grand larceny–auto rose by 15.0% (15,802 vs. 13741) in 2023, December saw the category’s first monthly, post-pandemic decline – of 4.0% (1260 vs. 1312). Burglary was reduced by 13.1% (13758 vs. 15827) in 2023, and by 14.3% (1085 vs. 1266) in December.

Arrests for major index crimes citywide increased by 9.5% (4162 vs. 3802) in December compared to the same month a year prior, and rose by 11.8% (53196 vs. 47574) for all of 2023. Arrests across all crime categories increased by 15.5% in December (17702 vs. 15321), and rose by 19.5% (226872 vs. 189781) for all of 2023.

For the full year, the number of bias incidents investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force dropped by 32 incidents, or 5% (618 v. 650), but saw a December-to-December increase of 26% additional cases (59 vs. 47) – led by an 8% increase in anti-Jewish incidents.

Overall crime in New York City housing complexes rose by 2.6% in December (472 vs. 460), and by 3.1% in 2023 (6149 vs. 5965). Meanwhile, overall crime in the city’s transit system decreased by 8.2% in December (191 vs. 208), and by 2.6% (2285 vs. 2345) for the full year.

*All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revision, or change.*

Index Crime Statistics: December 2023

	December 2023	December 2022	+/-	% Change
Murder	24	36	-12	-33.3%
Rape	129	110	19	17.3%
Robbery	1572	1287	285	22.1%
Felony Assault	2154	2028	126	6.2%
Burglary	1085	1266	-181	-14.3%
Grand Larceny	4323	4259	64	1.5%
Grand Larceny Auto	1260	1312	-52	-4.0%
TOTAL	10547	10298	249	2.4%

Additional Statistics For Devember 2023

	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	+/-	% Change
Transit	191	208	-17	-8.2%
Housing	472	460	12	2.6%
Shooting Incidents	72	85	-13	-15.3%

Rape Incident Reporting Statistics: December 2023

(Reports filed from December 1 – December 31 in years indicated)

	Total  Incidents  Reported	Incident  Occurred  Same Year	Incident  Occurred  Previous  Year	Incident  Occurred  2 Years  Prior	Incident  Occurred  3 Years  Prior	Incident  Occurred  4 Years  Prior
2023	129	105	6	4	0	1
2022	110	90	7	1	0	2
2021	122	97	5	2	2	1
2020	97	81	3	0	0	2
2019	105	85	2	3	1	1

Rape continues to be underreported. If you are a victim of sexual assault, please come forward. The 24-hour NYPD Special Victims Division hotline is: 212-267-RAPE (7273).

Hate Crimes Statistics Summary for December 2023

(Representing December 1st – December 31st for calendar years 2023 and 2022) 

Motivation	2023	2022	Diff	% Change
Asian	4	2	2	100%
Black	1	7	-6	-86%
Ethnic	3	4	-1	-25%
Gender	0	2	-2	-100%
Hispanic	1	5	-4	-80%
Jewish	31	14	17	121%
Muslim	4	1	3	300%
Religion	3	6	-3	-50%
Sexual Orientation	11	6	5	83%
White	1	0	1	***
TOTAL	59	47	12	26%

Note: Statistics above are subject to change upon investigation, as active possible bias cases may be reclassified to non-bias cases and removed from counted data.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

While citywide total crime stats show a small increase the Bronx total crime stats for the entire year ending 2023 compared to year ending 2022 is up by 5.77%, with various individual precincts much higher. 

Of the twelve Bronx police precincts crime was up in nine of the twelve precincts, and in five Bronx precincts the increase was in double didgets.