If you or a loved one were recently the victim of a violent crime, our law office can provide important services to you or the victim. The State of New York provides specific rights to victims of crimes, and a New York criminal attorney can help you protect your rights as we have for our many clients. The violent offender or a negligent party tied to the case could even be liable for monetary damages.
City-by-City Look at Violent Crime Rates
Although 2020 saw a significant rise in murder rates in the United States, possibly due to economic stressors from the pandemic, overall crime rates in the United States are down considerably compared to the 1990s. The overall downward trend includes violent crimes and poverty crimes. Between 2020 and 2022, New York City saw a 5.7% drop in murders. To better understand the New York State crime rate by city, it can be useful to examine these statistics more closely.
New York City
As of 2022, New York City has a murder rate of 6.3 per 100,000. This makes the Big Apple one of the safer large cities in the country. Overall, crime rates continue to go down in New York City. New data released in late 2023 shows an overall decrease in crime — a drop of 4.1% compared to the prior year. The decreases include the following crimes:
- -Murder
- -Shootings
- -Rape
- -Robbery
- -Grand larceny
While it went down overall, the New York Police Department noted a slight increase in the rates of felony assaults and car thefts. The new police data does show an increase in hate crimes over the same time period. Targeted groups, which include Black, Jewish, immigrant, Muslim, and LGBT residents, saw an increase in hate crime incidents of 33%.
Albany
The City of Albany has a crime rate of 201.4 per 100,000 people. This means that, for every 100,000 people in the city, around 201 will experience some sort of crime in a given year. This rate is lower than in other urban areas. Fresno, California, for example, has a crime rate of 594 per 100,000 people, which is more than twice the rate of crime compared to Albany. Crime rates in the state capital continue to track downward, based on national data.
Buffalo
The Buffalo Police Department reported a 33% drop in crime between 2006 and 2024. Crimes like robbery, homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and burglary all saw decreases over those years. Crime rates are seasonal, the city data shows. Summer months generally show an uptick in criminal activity compared to colder winter months. Like other major cities, Buffalo saw a slight uptick in murder rates during the 2020 pandemic.
A total of 20,405 robberies were reported between 2006 and 2023. Between 2006 and 2023, robbery incidents dropped 71%. Between 2006 and 2023, Buffalo law a reduction in rapes of 72%. One area that saw a recent increase in crime rates is motor vehicle theft.
Rochester
Rochester is one of the safer cities in the state. Annually, the city averages around 1,550 violent crimes per year. The overall crime rate is 43.43 per 1,000. The average incidents of rape are .4 per 1,000 residents, while the average rate of murder is .06 per 1,000 residents.
Syracuse
As of 2020, Syracuse has a crime incident rate of 225.1 per 100,000. This is well below the national average. Omaha, Nebraska, for example, has a crime rate of 425 per 100,000. In 2020, the city saw a 3% increase in homicide rates. As of February 2024, there were 635 registered sex offenders.
FAQs
Q: Has Crime Increased in New York?
A: As of 2023, the New York Police Department reported that crime is down compared to the previous year. October 2023, when compared with the same month one year prior, saw an 8.1% decline in shootings, while 45 fewer people were murdered today than at the same time in 2022. The number of people shot in October 2023 was 384 fewer than the year before.
Q: What Is the Crime Rate in Brooklyn, New York?
A: Publicly accessible crime mapping shows that Brooklyn has a higher violent crime rate than the average U.S. city. The New York City borough hovers around the 7th percentile for crime, which means that 93% of U.S. cities are statistically safer than Brooklyn. Nearly four of every 1,000 Brooklyn residents experience a violent crime per year, based on the latest statistics.
Q: Where Does New York Rank in Crime?
A: New York is one of the safer states in the country. New York ranks 20th overall, meaning that 30 states have higher average incidents of crime. Although New York City sometimes has a reputation for criminal activity, the city is one of the safest large cities in the country. The New York Police Department is the largest police department in the country by far, and its officers continually work to reduce crime numbers.
Q: Should I Avoid Dangerous Areas of My State?
A: Crime statistics are a useful guide when deciding which city to move to or even which area of a city to live in. Statistics are just an average, though, and not necessarily an accurate predictor of what will happen to you. Statistics do not take into account personal habits and behaviors that can increase the risk that someone will become the victim of a crime. Staying out late and walking alone at night will increase your risk of becoming a victim of crime, even in a safe neighborhood.
Schedule Your Consultation With an Experienced Defense Attorney
If you were recently the victim of a crime, the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, can hold the perpetrator of those actions accountable. If a property owner or another individual was complicit in those acts due to negligence, they may also be sued for damages. One of our lawyers can help you understand your rights as the victim of a crime in New York. To schedule your consultation, please contact our office today.
