Recent subway crime statistics have shed light on concerning trends, contradicting the claims made by the New York Times and the Adams administration. Despite attempts to downplay the severity of subway violence, the data paints a different picture.
In mid-March, when Governor Hochul deployed the National Guard underground, the New York Times dismissed the move as unnecessary, emphasizing that “dramatically violent” incidents were rare. However, just a week earlier, the same publication reported on four recent attacks involving stabbing, hammering, slashing, and bottle attacks, once again labeling them as “rare.”
The Adams administration has also adopted a similar narrative, assuring the public that subway crime is on the decline. Mayor Adams deployed over 1,000 uniformed officers into the transit system daily, claiming that this strategy had successfully reversed the crime trend in the past. However, the recently released February crime numbers tell a different story.
While total felonies were down 15% compared to the previous year, serious violent crime, the type that instills fear in people, remained unchanged. In February 2024, there were 76 serious violent crimes reported in the subway system, including two murders, one rape, 38 robberies, and 35 assaults. This figure is one more than the previous February, indicating that the surge in police presence has not effectively addressed the issue.
The only crime category that saw a decrease was grand larceny, nonviolent theft, which dropped from 98 to 70. However, this reduction does little to alleviate concerns about the safety of subway riders and workers.
To put the numbers into perspective, between 2004 and 2019, it took 15 years to accumulate 34 subway homicides. In just four years since 2020, the same number of homicides has occurred. Additionally, there has been a 27% increase in serious violent subway crimes compared to the same period in 2019, before criminal justice reforms such as bail reform took effect.
Considering the current lower ridership, the chances of being a victim of serious violence on the subway have nearly doubled since 2019. With a one-in-a-million chance per ride, someone who commutes 500 times annually has a one-in-2,000 chance of experiencing a serious, injurious, or fatal crime. Furthermore, the presence of mentally ill or substance-abuse-affected perpetrators who are undeterred by crowds means that dozens of people often witness these crimes, increasing the likelihood of traumatic experiences.
When accounting for smaller incidents that go unreported, the overall sense of safety on daytime subways has significantly declined. Less than half of New Yorkers now feel safe, compared to 86% in 2008.
The recent subway crime statistics challenge the notion that subway violence is rare or improving. The data highlights the urgent need for effective measures to address the issue and restore public confidence in the safety of the subway system.
