New Yorkers weigh in: Crime today vs. back in the day
Are the 'Bad Old Days' back? New Yorkers weigh in on crime in the city
As New York City continues to adjust to its post-pandemic reality, crime has become a topic at the forefront of every city-dweller's mind. But is the city sliding back to the 'Bad Old Days' of the 70s and 80s? FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers spoke with New Yorkers to hear what they think of how bad crime has gotten in the city.
New York City residents have almost become accustomed to seeing crime scenes in their neighborhoods as law enforcement continue to adjust to a post-COVID-19 pandemic society, as well as facing other challenges.
Long-time city residents have their own views on how crime today compares to back in the "bad old days" of past decades.
"It's just getting worse. It's unbelievable you can't even go out to the street," one Upper West Side resident for the past 70 years, told FOX 5 NY.
"Kids killing kids, kids walking around with guns, school kids taking guns to school, we never saw that, I never saw that," they added.
Another resident who's lived in the community for 50 years said it's much worse than at any other time.
"The crime has increased a lot. Right now, you're scared to get on the trains and something might happen because somebody has a gun, somebody has a knife, somebody could hit you, slice you in your face. it's kind of unsettling," she said.
She wears a cross body bag, not for the current popular style, but for safety.
"I put my bag across my shoulder and keep it inside my coat so nobody will snatch it," she said.
In the South Bronx, one resident said he says a prayer, leaves anything valuable at home, and only wears one earphone so no one can sneak up on him and attack him.
"I take one out to make sure that I have at least some sense of surroundings, awareness of my surroundings because when they're both in, you're completely shut off to what's going on around you," he said.
Some try to avoid taking the subway whenever possible, but especially at night.
"I do change my day because I don't like to take the subway late and stuff like that," another resident told FOX 5.
Despite the sentiment of some of their neighbors, one resident said that no matter what, they wouldn't live anywhere else.
"I believe this is the most safe city in the world, but we got problems every day I don't know why, but New York is the best city in the world," they said.
The NYPD said that overall, crime is down .4% so far this year in comparison to last year. But most of the New Yorkers we spoke with said they're not yet ready to drop their guard.