NYPD Sees Continued Decline in Crime in October 2018
November 7, 2018
This October, New York City experienced fewer index crimes than in any previous October during the modern CompStat era while overall crime since January continues to fall to historic lows compared to the same time in 2017. Overall crime in 2018 is currently projected to drop beneath what would become a new record-setting low of 97,000 total index crimes by years end. Also of note, New York City did not have a single shooting during the period of a three-day weekend — from October 12 to October 14. It is the first time this has occurred in the past 25 years.
"As we near the end of 2018, I am very optimistic about where we find ourselves," Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill said. "Cops and the people we serve are working together better than ever. And the NYPD and our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels are working in tandem more effectively than at any time in our history. We will never lose focus of our primary mission: fighting crime and keeping people safe. And we know that all New Yorkers, in every neighborhood, always need to feel safe, too — that's really our ultimate goal."
"Last month was a difficult time for our City as forces of hatred tried to divide and terrorize us. But, New Yorkers showed that we are resilient and will never stop celebrating our diversity," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We are the safest big city in the country because the NYPD is as diverse as all 8.5 million New Yorkers. I want to thank all our officers for working with every community to fight crime and protect us from terror."
Key highlights from this month's crime statistics include:
- Year-to-date, overall index crimes are down -1.4% in 2018, which represents 1,149 fewer victims.
- Murders in the month of October 2018 are down -41.4% compared to October 2017.
- Shooting incidents are down -6.8% this October, compared to last October, and year-to-date shootings are down -4.7% in 2018 compared to last year.
Additionally, of the 160 rapes reported in October 2018, 16% occurred in a prior year. This is compared to 152 rapes reported in October 2017 where 14% occurred in a prior year. The NYPD continues to encourage victims of sexual assault to come forward and report the crimes.
Statistics on Index Crimes 2017-2018
| Oct. 2018 | Oct. 2017 | Change | +/-% | Year-to-Date 2018 | Year-to-Date 2017 | Change | +/-% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | 17 | 29 | -12 | -41.4% | 248 | 244 | +4 | +1.6% |
| Rape | 160 | 152 | +8 | +5.3% | 1,518 | 1,206 | +312 | +25.9% |
| Robbery | 1,135 | 1,256 | -121 | -9.6% | 10,741 | 11,547 | -806 | -7.0% |
| Felony Assault |
1,588 | 1,792 | -202 | -11.4% | 16,921 | 17,145 | -225 | -1.3% |
| Burglary | 1,004 | 1,177 | -173 | -14.7% | 9,689 | 10,050 | -361 | -3.6% |
| Grand Larceny |
3,833 | 3,834 | -61 | -1.6% | 35,913 | 35,870 | +43 | +0.1% |
| G.L.A. | 486 | 587 | -101 | -17.2% | 4,616 | 4,733 | -117 | -2.5% |
| TOTAL | 8,223 | 8,887 | -664 | -7.5% | 79,646 | 80,795 | -1,149 | -1.4% |
Additional Statistics on Crimes and Shootings 2017-2018
| Oct. 2018 | Oct. 2017 | Change | +/-% | Year-to-Date 2018 | Year-to-Date 2017 | Change | +/-% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transit | 244 | 243 | +1 | +0.4% | 2,028 | 2,015 | +13 | +0.6% |
| Housing | 347 | 399 | -52 | -13.0% | 3,866 | 4,088 | -222 | -5.4% |
| Shooting Incidents |
68 | 73 | -5 | -13.0% | 642 | 674 | -32 | -4.7% |
Additionally, below is New York City hate crime data as of November 4. While New York City was on pace to have a lower number of hate crimes in 2018 than 2017, the last month saw a notable uptick, particularly in anti-Semitic hate crimes.
Hate Crimes
| Motivation | 2018 | 2017 | Change +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 57 | 66 | -1 |
| Black | 92 | 70 | +7 |
| Disability | 79 | 79 | +1 |
| Ethnic | 6 | 10 | -4 |
| Gender | 7 | 11 | -4 |
| Muslim | 16 | 32 | -16 |
| Muslim | 16 | 32 | -16 |
| Other | 11 | 16 | -5 |
| Religion | 7 | 9 | -2 |
| Semitic | 159 | 130 | +29 |
| Sexual Orientation | 40 | 40 | 0 |
| White | 15 | 8 | +7 |
| Grand Total | 309 | 297 | +12 |
Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.