Leading by Example: Crime Reduction and Techniques in the City of New York

My thesis will center on our nations largest city, New York City, and how they have managed to claim the title of the Safest Big City in the United States . Cities all around the United States and the World have been looking to New York, for ways to improve their crime reduction techniques. Many areas have tried similar methods; however, have failed in the end. What is New York doing differently? According to the official UCR and city statistics, in 1993 New York City had 1,927 homicides. In 2003, that number was reduced to just 572. The reduction continues to move in the right direction year after year. This decrease in crime is not just occurring in the category of homicides, but with nearly every recordable crime. This paper is concentrating on the programs that the city is using to reduce crime and how this compares with certain aspects of social theory. Is the crime decrease actually a result of specific crime reduction techniques? Should the NYPD and the city government be credited with the reduction, or do other social and program factors play a part in this crime reduction? This paper and presentation will explore the issue in great detail