Crime in New York City

Crime rates in New York City spiked in the 1980s and early 1990s as the crack epidemic surged, and then dropped from 1991 to 2019, giving New York City one of the lowest crime rates of major cities in the United States. During the 1990s, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) adopted CompStat, broken windows policing, and other strategies in a major effort to reduce crime. The city's dramatic drop in crime has been variously attributed to a number of factors, including the end of the crack epidemic, the increased incarceration rate, and the decline of lead poisoning in children.

Crime in New York City

Crime rates in New York City spiked in the 1980s and early 1990s as the crack epidemic surged, and then dropped from 1991 to 2019, giving New York City one of the lowest crime rates of major cities in the United States. During the 1990s, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) adopted CompStat, broken windows policing, and other strategies in a major effort to reduce crime. The city's dramatic drop in crime has been variously attributed to a number of factors, including the end of the crack epidemic, the increased incarceration rate, and the decline of lead poisoning in children.