New York: 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 throughout 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.
