Worst neighborhoods in NYC...during the 90's

[Kobe Bean]

I usually go my murders to determine what's the most dangerous. Obviously drug infestation too. But usually where the drugs are is where a lot of murders occur.

[TOkidd]

Originally Posted by Revis Island

I usually go my murders to determine what's the most dangerous. Obviously drug infestation too. But usually where the drugs are is where a lot of murders occur.

I don't know if murders alone are the best indicators of a neighbourhood's "safety", because the vast majority of murders are targeted killings, often related to the drug trade or other kinds of disputes. In most cases, victims of murder in the inner city are involved in the drug trade or some other kind of criminal enterprise. It's quite rare for completely innocent civilians to become victims of murder, even in the worst urban neighbourhoods. In cases not related to drug or gang activity, upwards of 90% of all murder victims know their killer. As a result, I think murder is a good indication of the overall level of criminality in a given neighbourhood, but isn't the best indiator of how dangerous a neighbourhood is for the average civilian. Certainly, it shouldn't be ignored, but I think robbery and felony assault stats are much better indications of the danger a civilian faces in a given neighbourhood, opposed to strictly going by murder rates. If I were to take a walk through Brownsville's housing projects late at night, I would be much more worried about getting robbed or jumped (or both) than getting murdered.

I think the whole notion of "safety" has to be examined when talking about cities or neighbourhoods. Even in areas with high murder rates, the likelihood of becoming a murder victim on any given day is still very low if you don't engage in a criminal lifestyle. However, the threat of robbery, assault and rape - three of the four most serious violent crimes, IMO - affects everyone, not just hoodlums and drug dealers. As a result, crime indexes that combine the stats of the four major violent crimes in a given area - murder, robbery, assault, and rape - are the most helpful guide to judging the safety of a neighbourhood for the average person. Many police departments formulate their own crime indexes for different parts of the city and publish them on the Internet. I'm not sure if the NYPD do this, but I know the precincts publish their blotters online, often with '92 stats for comparison. Besides demonstrating just how much crime has dropped in even the worst areas, the blotters show the stats for many different crimes, including robbery, felony assault, and rape. IMO, the four stats together are the best way of judging a neigourhood's safety.

[CollegiateSchoolNY]

Bed-Stuy and East New York were pretty terrible back in the day.

[BrightRabbit]

In Weeksville/Crown Heights, 77th Precinct

2014 compared to 1990

Murder down from 70 to 8, a change of -88.6%
Rape (all categories) down from 99 to 22, a change of -77.8%
Robbery down from 2,412 to 299, a change of -87.6%
Felony Assault down from 1,307 to 388, a change of -70.3%
Burglary down from 2,130 to 298, a change of -86.0%
Gr. Larceny down from 705 to 511, a change of -27.5%
G.L.A. down from 1,242 to 138, a change of -88.9%
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 7,965 down to 1,664, a change of -79.1%

That's why my neighbors tell me it's a lot better than it used to be. It's still too much, but since you're looking for comparisons here over time, the statistics are informative.

[Citizenrich]

Originally Posted by anon1

LES by that time was already starting to get discovered

"LES by that time was already starting to get discovered..."

Really. Tell us more...




sometimes i feel like i lose instant IQ points when I read some of these threads. Good thing I've go so many to spare!