New Yorkers living in fear of crime, poll finds

NEW YORK - New York City has seen a startling uptick in crime this year.

Overnight, a 19-year-old woman was stabbed in the left forearm on a northbound 1 train in Washington Heights, and just hours before that the NYPD says a man attempted to rape a 21-year-old woman inside a northbound train approaching the Canal Street Station in the Tribeca section of Manhattan.

Despite this, the MTA’s weekday ridership reached 3 million for the first time since the Omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge, which peaked in January. 

According to a new Quinnipiac poll, nearly three-quarters of New York City voters consider crime to be a "very serious" problem.

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It’s the highest percentage since polling began there back in 1999.

65% of voters say they personally worry about being the victim of a crime, while 43% believe New York is less safe than other big cities.

RELATED: Dangerous NYC Subways: Woman stabbed, another is victim of attempted rape

Mayor Eric Adams testified before the State Legislature on Wednesday, with a major focus on criminal justice reforms.

Adams argued that the city needs to get a better grip on public safety to return to normalcy.

He also promised to address street homelessness and subway crime. 

"We cannot afford to let this go unaddressed any longer," he added.

Adams has repeatedly pushed for changes to the state’s bail reform law, including a provision that would allow judges to determine if a person is too dangerous to remain on the street.

However, his plan faces resistance from some lawmakers, like Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn. 

"In 2019, 95% of all people were not re-arrested on violent felony offenses, and since bail reform, that number rose to 97% of people who were released were not re-arrested on violent felony charges," she said.