By Bob Tannenhauser
NYPD citywide crime statistics released this week show a decrease in five of the seven major crime categories in 2023 through October 1st, compared to the same period in 2022. Murder and rape incidents declined by 10.9% and 11.2%, respectively, with robbery, burglary, and grand larceny also decreasing. According to the data available on the NYPD crime stats site, felony assaults and grand larceny auto incidents increased 5.9% and 19%, respectively. The chart below shows the data for the year through October 1, 2023. In addition to the seven major crime categories, we have included data for petit larceny and misdemeanor assaults.
| Citywide | YTD 10/1/23 | YTD 10/1/22 | % Decrease/Increase |
| Murder | 304 | 341 | -10.9% |
| Rape | 1,098 | 1,251 | -12.2% |
| Robbery | 12,390 | 13,170 | -5.9% |
| Fel. Assault | 21,133 | 19,959 | 5.9% |
| Burglary | 10,394 | 11,877 | -12.5% |
| Grand Larceny | 37,629 | 38,780 | -3.0% |
| Grand Larceny Auto | 12,006 | 10,085 | 19.0% |
| Petit Larceny | 82,995 | 86,749 | -4.3% |
| Misdemeanor Assault | 33,039 | 31,295 | 5.6% |
We also examined the data for the same period for the Upper West Side precincts 20, 24, and Central Park, to see if there were notable differences from the citywide trends. The year-to-date (October 1st) statistics for the 20th, 24th, and Central Park precincts, comprising the Upper West Side, have been consolidated and are presented below. Five of the seven major crimes again show decreases in incidents. Notably, though, there have been six murders on the Upper West Side, compared to two last year, reflecting the murder/suicide we reported in the WSR on August 28, 2023. Incidents of rape, robbery, burglary, felony assaults, and grand larceny declined, while grand larceny auto increased. As with the citywide chart, we have included in the Upper West Side precinct chart below the data for petit larceny and misdemeanor assaults. Only the Central Park Precinct reported an increase in both of those categories, with petit larceny incidents increasing to 32 from 24 last year, and misdemeanor assault incidents rising to 41 from 26 in 2022.
| YTD 10/1/23 | YTD 10/1/22 | % Decrease/Increase | |
| Murder | 6 | 2 | 200% |
| Rape | 18 | 20 | -10.0% |
| Robbery | 180 | 236 | -23.7% |
| Fel. Assault | 226 | 230 | -1.7% |
| Burglary | 218 | 259 | -15.8% |
| Gr. Larceny | 959 | 1,041 | -7.9% |
| GLA | 155 | 130 | 19.2% |
| Petit Larceny | 2,130 | 2,408 | -11.5% |
| Misdemeanor Assault | 439 | 417 | 5.3% |
We have found that the data does not necessarily correlate with the public’s perception of whether crime is increasing or decreasing, as we reported in September, 2022, Crime on the Upper West Side Over the Decades, and in October, 2022, NYC and Upper West Side Crime in the 21st Century. Declining crime statistics are not necessarily reflected in people’s perception of safety, as pointed out in a recent New York Times article. Another Times article suggests that the fear of crime may make public safety worse.
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An increase in felony and misdemeanor assaults is proof that the perception is real. Attacks, often random, are on the rise on the uws. Why does the rag downplay it?
If you actually read it instead of quickly scanning for something to confirm your existing views, you’d see that felony assaults are slightly down on the UWS, not up. But don’t let the facts stop you.
Elections coming!
The article specifically addresses your question. (Facepalm.)
Do you see how many Petit Larceny and Misdemeanor Assaults there actually are? That is someone’s store that is being robbed and people being harassed or assaulted. This does not even include the unreported!
It’s called we have no quality of life any longer and something we are experiencing every single day. It’s not a statistic.
I’m glad you published this, thank you. The election is now and we can vote for people that will fight for Public Safety and Quality of Life first and foremost for the people living it every single day. Please vote.
It bears repeating. Einstein’s definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
If we vote the same, we’ll get more of the same.
I don’t understand the constant exhortations to vote differently. The premise that’s implied–that a given politician or political party has better ideas or more effective solutions for fighting crime–is nonsense.
2nd time trying to reply to a comment directed to me. Please post.
Nonsense?
It is the politicians in office now that are making the laws and do not address or fight for public safety, leading to people on the street being accosted or assaulted and shops being robbed. Not sure how you don’t understand that.
To say that you are oversimplifying is a gross understatement. Politicians don’t have the power you ascribe to them. Simple solutions or levers that affect crime rates in the short term don’t exist. Measures or policies that may affect crime in the long term are hotly debated by criminologists and sociologists because the matter is so complicated.
Thanks for pointing this out Jerry, the numerous comments on every crime related article that assert some politician has an unspecified plan to fix crime get very tiresome.
The Democrats are soft on crime. The Republicans aren’t. It isn’t complicated
This was the going statement decades ago. But if you look at politics today, Republicans have lost the tough on crime label. Republicans are calling to defund and abolish the FBI. Republicans weaponize Law Enforcement, and when they get caught, complain that law enforcement is being weaponized against them. Republicans have taken faith in law enforcement to a new low. When law enforcement cannot find any evidence to back up Republican claims, then law enforcement is inept. When law enforcement finds ample evidence against a Republican, then it is either a political witch hunt or fake evidence, etc. just look at the difference between the party reactions to George Santos and Robert Menendez. Santos’ crimes are obvious but few republicans called for him to resign. Menendez’s crimes are ones that he potentially could beat in court (has before), but very few democrats are NOT calling on him to resign. Nor are Republicans coming to his aid talking about how corrupt the FBI is. In fact, they decide it must already be true because the FBI found evidence. And Republican presidents and governors are pardoning people who commit crimes who are either connected to them or have a political slant. So yeah, the Republican Party has lost the ability to call themselves “Tough on crime.”
Thanks Bill, you’re illustrating my point. What exactly is the Republican plan? Why do red states have some of the highest crimes rates?
That’s funny. Study after study shows that weak gun laws lead to higher gun deaths, and we all know who is soft on gun laws. Whether you want to believe it or not, b/c of its strong gun control laws, NY has one of the lowest gun deaths per-capita in the country.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/us/everytown-weak-gun-laws-high-gun-deaths-study/index.html
https://vpc.org/states-with-weak-gun-laws-and-higher-gun-ownership-lead-nation-in-gun-deaths-new-data-for-2020-confirms/
And the vast majority of guns used in crimes in NYC and other NY urban areas come from the southern states with lax gun laws. The Iron Pipeline.
Wasn’t it Rudy Giuliani who let Purdue Pharma off the hook?
Except that notion is complete and total hogwash.
I love this. There is always more we can but it’s important to keep in mind that crime is lower than it used to be – maybe what we’re doing is working!
Dear Josh:
Some crime is lower, some crime is higher. The rising crime is in the segments where the DA has lowered jail time/bail requirements. This is not a coincidence. These more “minor” crimes, which are on the upswing, also affect a greater percentage of the UWS than do the serious crimes, as the serious crimes are more often violent resolutions of pre-existing beefs., not random events.
I don’t understand why you keep insisting in multiple posts that more serious crimes are not random, and there’s “beef” involved.
I just witnessed this nightmare in midtown, a man attacked 3 people with a bottle. Totally random:
https://nypost.com/2023/10/05/man-attacks-three-people-with-glass-bottle-in-rampage-that-began-at-midtown-whole-foods/
Another example is the cold blooded murder of Ryan Carson by the mentally unhinged Brian Dowling:
https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/10/05/everything-we-know-about-brooklyn-teen-accused-of-killing-social-justice-advocate-ryan-carson/
And that’s only in the last couple of days!
Both perpetrators had priors, it wasn’t their first rodeo, but hey, social justice…
Your comment misconstrues (and/or misrepresents) facts. The DA has not “lowered jail time/bail requirements” and does not have the province to do so. Guidelines governing jail time and bail requirements are established by the New York State legislature; specific application of those guidelines are applied by judges in courts of law. You are probably thinking of prosecutorial discretion, and as of yet (despite all the overwrought rhetoric) there isn’t a correlation between crime rates in NYC and the specific prosecutorial discretion of the current Manhattan district attorney. Furthermore, certain acts of crime have increased in the last several years across the United States–the point being that the increases are not tied to NYS bail reform or any one District Attorney’s prosecutorial discretion.
“Guidelines governing jail time and bail requirements are established by the New York State legislature;”
And isn’t that the politicians in office?
I was attacked in Central Park last night. I reported it, but can see why some don’t. The density of this city is annoying but also made me feel safe, and I wasn’t afraid to go anywhere anytime. Guess I was just dumb and lucky.
I am so sorry to hear this, JoJo. It is good that you reported the assault, at least. The authorities need to be held to account for statistics as accurate as we citizens can make them by reporting.
Yes please give some info. It’s really important these crimes see the light of day
Sorry to hear of your bad experience—can you give some details about what happened?
I was entering the reservoir on the east side at 96th about 8:30. A guy was exiting and wouldn’t let me pass. Immediate menacing vibes. He held up his phone and kept pointing at the screen like he wanted me to see something but the screen was black. I think he was just trying to draw me closer. Reached into his pocket and seemed like he might have a weapon but didn’t see one. Put his hand around my throat and pushed me backwards so I fell. He got down on the ground with me but I was yelling enough he gave up and ran off. My priority was getting away, so of course my recollection isn’t perfect, but I told the police I thought he resembled the actor Michael Pena.
I am so sorry to hear this horrific story. And at 8:30c which is neither too early nor too late.
Felony assault is still rampant, shoplifting closes businesses, but yeah, it is all perception.
If you were talking aboutTarget, turns out they are keeping stores that have much higher shoplifting rates than the ones they are closing. The stores they are closing are actually in neighborhoods that have low shoplifting rates, and the stores they are keeping are in neighborhoods with high shoplifting rates. Target is closing the stores in New York, San Francisco and Seattle mainly because the stores are failing, the merchandise is not selling.
Deja vu. Didn’t we have the same article, not once but twice last year around the same time?
Yes these crime stats are reported at regular intervals and the WSR covers them as they should?
WSR, I can’t respond?
Yes, they somehow coincide with elections. I’m expecting more articles downplaying crime closer to November.
Raj, you are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts – we reported crime stats 12/7/22, 2/3/23, 2/24/23, 3/7/23, 4/8/23, 8/7/23, 10/5/23.
Don’t expect us to post your comments when they are factually incorrect. Thank you for reading the Rag.
I’m not buying what WSR is selling. “Perception”, right.
Then why don’t you provide statistics showing otherwise? If not, then you’re proving the “perception” point you’re challenging, right?
Meaning the statistics they printed go against your personal opinion so that offends you?
WSR is not “selling” anything.
Numbers don’t lie.
As far as statistics are concerned, I think we already had this debate last years. Statistics do lie if they are not properly gathered and reported. I’m a math major.
Excellent reporting, but Councilwoman Gale Brewer has pointed out that crimes committed or almost crimes by mental health issues are not counted in the statistics. That certainly Skews the figures.
Pretty low bar if you applaud the fact there are lower murders and rapes
, but ignore the rise (and acceptance, I might add) of theft and other quality of life crimes. You get what you vote for NYC!
Your statement that “You get what you pay for NYC!” is empty political rhetoric. There is zero factual basis for that claim.