7 days ago
Hochul touts New York's falling crime statistics
Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced that reported gun violence across New York state has continued to decline, reaching the lowest level since the state began tracking the data in 2006.
According to a news release from Hochul's office, new statistics released by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services show a 15% decline in shooting victims and a 9% drop in shooting incidents with injury from Jan. 1 through April 30, compared to the same period last year, in communities participating in the state's Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative.
'Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority. Since taking office, my administration has been laser focused on eliminating gun violence and reducing the number of gun-related injuries and fatalities across the state,' Hochul said. 'Our efforts are working, and I am committed to continuing our record level support for gun violence prevention initiatives in our most impacted communities to ensure all New Yorkers are safe.'
Newly released data comes from the 28 police departments outside of New York City participating in the state's Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative. Those police departments report roughly 90% of violent crimes involving firearms and 85% of violent crime reported outside New York City. Since 2021, shootings in New York are down by more than 50% and murders are down 30%, according to the release.
Between January and April this year, those departments reported 156 shooting victims, down from 183 during the same period in 2024; and 139 shooting incidents with injury, down from 153 in 2024 — data that are the result of a coordinated, data-driven effort to reduce gun violence in the State's most impacted communities, the release stated.
State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, 'New York's strategy is working because it's grounded in data, backed by funding, and built on strong partnerships. We are proud to support our law enforcement and community partners with the tools they need to make every neighborhood safer.'
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control the murder rate in New York declined by 8% from 2023 to 2024. Mortality data shows that New York has the second lowest homicide rate of the 15 most populous states and the lowest homicide rate of the top 10 states. CDC data also show that New York has the third lowest firearm-related mortality rate, including firearm-related homicides, accidental discharges, and suicides, in the nation behind only Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Preliminary full-year crime data from DCJS shows a 4% decline in overall index crime statewide in 2024 compared to 2023. The 57 counties outside New York City reported an 8% drop in crimes with 5% fewer violent crimes and 9% fewer property crimes, the release stated.
In the 57 counties outside of New York City, the following categories of crime declined from 2023 to 2024, with robbery and burglary at the lowest levels on record:
• Motor vehicle theft, down 27%
• Robbery, down 11%
• Burglary, down 8%
• Larceny, down 6%
