New York vs Chicago, which is more dangerous? (Manhattan, Brooklyn: low crime, how much)

[Kobe Bean]

Chicago is a lot worse than NYC today. But in their heyday I would say NYC during the crack epidemic is definitely worse. Not that that's some honor or anything because nobody should be proud of that. But why does Chicago get so much media attention if they're not even in the top 10 for most dangerous cities? Is it because Obama is from Chicago? Thank you.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by Revis Island

Chicago is a lot worse than NYC today. But in their heyday I would say NYC during the crack epidemic is definitely worse. Not that that's some honor or anything because nobody should be proud of that. But why does Chicago get so much media attention if they're not even in the top 10 for most dangerous cities? Is it because Obama is from Chicago? Thank you.

Part of the reason I think is Obama. Also because in raw numbers its higher than NYC and LA. Basically it has the highest number of murders, but that doesn't make it the most dangerous.

[marothisu]

I don't know a lot about the geography of the crimes in NYC, but in Chicago the serious ones are usually in a few areas that are a good distance away from almost all good neighborhoods.

I think the reason it gets media attention is because of the amount of gun control in the city. It's one of the strictest, yet it has a lot of homicides by the overall numbers.

[jwuk45]

NYC definitely has a lot less murders (even with the relatively low number of 70 for Chicago last quarter, NYC had 66 with over three times the population) and a little over half the violent crime. NYC property crime is also low. Even in Brooklyn, it's only 20 per 1000 residents, vs 54 for Chicago.

That being said, crime in New York is spread out more evenly (location, demographics, etc) so it's not as easy to find places that are very safe (unless you're super rich and live in the best neighbourhoods in Manhattan). If you live North of the Loop I'd say you're safer than most parts of Brooklyn/Queens/The Bronx.

Neither city are anywhere near the worst in the country though, I think they just get picked out because of their history and being well known from movies and such.

[RarelyOffended]

New York had more total crime and murders then Chicago, but that has to do with population as New York had 7.9 million people in the 80s and 90s and Chicago had 2.9 million

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by jwuk45

That being said, crime in New York is spread out more evenly (location, demographics, etc) so it's not as easy to find places that are very safe (unless you're super rich and live in the best neighbourhoods in Manhattan). If you live North of the Loop I'd say you're safer than most parts of Brooklyn/Queens/The Bronx.

I think statistics would prove otherwise. Virtually all of Manhattan, Staten Island and most of Queens has ridiculously low crime rates. I believe the Bronx has only 6 or 7 murders to date, THE BRONX, which historically has a very high crime rate. Brooklyn carries the highest percentage of crime in NYC these days, though much of that is concentrated to 4 or 5 neighborhoods like Chicago.

EDIT:
These stats are as of last week for NYC, I believe they are at 78 murders as of yesterday:

New York City: 73

Bronx: 12
Brooklyn: 36
Manhattan: 6
Queens: 17
Staten Island: 2

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by Revis Island

...But why does Chicago get so much media attention if they're not even in the top 10 for most dangerous cities? Is it because Obama is from Chicago? Thank you.

The homicide rate in Chicago gets a lot of political attention from both sides. On the right people like to point to it as an example of how bad Obama is, and what happens if you have strict gun controls. It is very hard for anyone to really put the numbers in perspective, since people on the left bring up the numbers to use as an example to defend gun control measures, devote more resources to the neighborhoods that have high crime rates, and call for more funding for police and services. So while it's become a political football, both side's arguments are somewhat dependent on depicting Chicago as "the murder capitol of the US" (even though New Orleans has a homicide rate 3 times higher than Chicago, and Detroit's is twice as high).

For me the real concern is that we saw a spike in homicides last year. Chicago hit a high in homicide numbers and rates in 1992, with almost 950 murders. That dropped steadily though the 90's (like almost all other US cities) until it plateaued at about half that number around 2004. NYC saw a similar pattern, but greater decreases over that time. The big questions are why did NYC's rate drop more dramatically? And what changed in the 2000's the stopped the decline in homicides in Chicago (and nationwide as well).

One great thing that is not getting any attention is the fact that the number of homicides in Chicago has been dropping fairly steadily for the last 12 months. This year we've had 90 homicides, compared to over 150 for the same time period last year (and 100 for 2011, the year that had the lowest number homicides). Whatever the CPD has been doing since last summer, it's been working.

[ChiNaan]

On the whole in recent years, Chicago, no question. No need to ask for opinions on this since the data speaks for itself. Chicago had more homicides than NYC last year despite having less than 1/3 the population.

Chicago has lowered its homicide totals significantly since the 90's, but NYC has lowered theirs in a massive way from a high of over 2,000 in 1990 to 400-something last year. This was due in large part to gentrification pushing much of the poverty to places outside the city.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by jwuk45

That being said, crime in New York is spread out more evenly (location, demographics, etc)

Not if you're talking about homicides and other violent crime. It's concentrated in the areas with the highest poverty, like Chicago and most other cities.

[mas23]

How much would you guys consider to be a "few" neighborhoods??

B/c i can think of SEVERAL neighborhoods in Chicago where crime is a real issue, and some more neighborhoods where crime is still a moderate concern.