Queens Crime Stats Show Steep Drop

This week, the Governors office released a report touting the states unprecedented achievement of five consecutive years of decline in crime, with an overall 34 percent reduction over that period. Queens has done them one better with a seven-year stretch of an even stronger reduction in overall crime.
"Crime has gone down everywhere, not just from last year, but over the past decade," said Councilman Sheldon Leffler. "But Queens has really benefitted. In the past couple of years, homicides have risen in Queens and throughout the city in general. But if you look back to 1991 or so, every single crime statistic, from violent to quality of life has sharply decreased."
Comparing statistics up until May 7 from 1999 to 2000, crime in Queens South has decreased by 4.6 percent from 6,865 cases to 6,544 and in Queens North has decreased 9.4 percent, from 8,646 cases to 7,853. The consecutive seven year drop percentage is even more astounding, with a 59.3 percentage decrease in Queens South and a 61.2 percent drop in Queens North.
"Its an old but good story," said Chief Joseph Fox, who just transferred from Queens South to Brooklyn. "We have been focusing on steering the youth in the right direction and on strategic deployment, putting our units where the problems are. Through the implementation of youth programs."
For example, during Halloween, police are usually patrolling to make sure that there are no problems and to keep people moving along. However, under Fox reign, several precincts began their own parties, attracting children, teenagers and parents alike. "We try to get young people to interact with the police and break down that wall," Fox said. "It seems were doing a better job each year."
Despite the overall city-wide crime plunge, murder has been a problem for the past two years, with Queens being no exception. In Queens South, the homicide rate has increased 145.4 percent and in the north 53.8 percent since 1998. However, the seven year homicide rate is still 54.5 percent lower in the south and 53.8 percent in the north.
"In a nutshell, despite a few year to year problems, crime in Queens has continually been decreasing for a long time," said Mary De Bourbon, spokeswoman for District Attorney Richard A. Brown. "Hopefully the trend will continue."