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Justin Fox, Columnist

Why Has New York City Defied the Great American Crime Decline?

In most of the country, crime is lower than before the pandemic. 

Crime remains much more prevalent in New York City than it was before Covid.

Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty Images 

Crime is falling across the US, with the monthly totals through March published by the Real Time Crime Index showing violent crime back roughly at pre-pandemic levels while property crime is much lower. The violent crime decline appears to have accelerated over the winter.1

Crime has also been falling lately in the country’s largest city. But the recent drop comes after years of increases, and crime remains much more prevalent in New York City than it was before the pandemic (thanks to the reader who pointed me to the Real Time Crime Index data by city; an earlier version of the below chart just showed state numbers).