NYC reaches new all-time low in murders
A New York City police officer manages the crowd at Times Square on December 31, 2009 in New York City. Credit: Getty Images
New York City finished off the year with the fewest murders since comparable record keeping began.
The 2009 year-end total was 466, down from 523 in 2008 and 496 the year before. It’s the fewest since comparable records were kept in the 1960s. Cases continue to be solved at a steady 70 percent rate.
Overall crime is down in the city 11 percent from last year and 35 percent from 2001. The only major crime on the rise is felony assault, which was up 2 percent this year according to the city’s CompStat program, which tracks crime statistics daily.
The figures reflect a nationwide trend. Preliminary FBI crime figures for the first half of 2009 show crime falling across the country. Murder and manslaughter fell 10 percent for the first half of the year.
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