Crime is top of mind for most New Yorkers, as a majority are concerned that they’ll soon be a victim — and 41% have “never” been so on-edge about their own safety, a new poll found.
A combined 61% of Empire State residents admitted they’re either very (21%) or somewhat (40%) concerned that they will be the next victim of a crime, according to a new Siena College poll released Wednesday.
That fear is even higher in the Big Apple, where 70% of residents are very (30%) or somewhat (40%) worried they’ll be a crime victim.
Meanwhile, 87% of New Yorkers think crime is either a very or somewhat serious problem while just 11 percent said the issue is either not very or not at all serious.
“Crime isn’t just something that happens to others far away according to New Yorkers,” said Siena College Poll Director Don Levy.
“While 87% say crime is a serious problem in our state and 57% say it is a problem in their community, a disturbingly high 61% say that they are worried about it happening to them, a majority are concerned about themselves or their loved ones being safe in public places and many are taking steps to protect themselves as best they can,” he added.
Almost one in 10 New Yorkers said they have either been physically assaulted or the victim of a burglary over the last year, according to the poll.
Some individuals have even started taking protective measures into their own hands, purchasing security cameras or devices like firearms and pepper spray as well as signing up for self-defense classes.
Forty percent of citizens spent over $100 on goods or services to make them feel safer, or more protected from crime within the last 12 months.
Thirty-four percent of people surveyed said they bought home security cameras not managed by a professional firm, compared to 65% who did not.
That includes 39% of those living in the five boroughs, 30% in the suburbs and 31% upstate, as well as 40% of Latinos, 35% of whites and 31% of African Americans.
Another 24% revealed they purchased a professionally monitored home security system, compared to 76% of people who did not do so.
“Is this the worst it’s ever been? Forty-one percent of all New Yorkers, with little variation across most demographic groups, say that they’ve never been this worried about their personal safety,” Levy said.
Recent statistics released by the NYPD show overall crime dropped by 4% citywide in June compared to the same time last year. Major crimes including shootings and rapes are down across the board. However, car thefts shot up 23% with 1,391 incidents versus 1,133 in June 2022.
Despite the progress, this month started off bloody with a series of shootings following the July 4th holiday.
The Siena survey was conducted between June 4 to the 12 among 802 state residents with an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
