Author(s)

Stephen Koppel, Min Xie, Michael Rempel, Olive Lu, Jeremy Travis, & Preeti Chauhan

Topic(s) Policing & Crime Prevention, Racial & Gender Justice, Low-Level Enforcement

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Justice at a Crossroads in New York City: Reexamining Crime, Victimization, Enforcement, Incarceration, and Racial Disparities

New York City’s response to crime and violence stands at a pivotal moment. After decades of declining crime and a shrinking criminal legal system, recent years have brought major reforms, social upheaval, and renewed debate about safety, fairness, and enforcement. This project was launched to provide a clear, data-driven picture of where the City has been and where it may be headed. Through this work, we aim to inform the public conversation with facts, and to support policymakers in navigating this complex landscape.

Two parallel reports complete the portrait of how New York City’s criminal legal system has changed from the 1990s to the present.

  • The FIRST REPORT analyzes trends based on official data—including summonses, arrests, prosecutions, incarceration, alternatives to incarceration, and racial disparities.
  • The SECOND REPORT offers a first-ever analysis of annual victim survey data for New York City on crime victimization—encompassing both reported and unreported crimes and adding information on victims’ perceptions of the police and access to services.
  • An EXECUTIVE SUMMARY presents key findings drawn from both reports. Together, these reports offer a comprehensive view of New York City’s changing landscape—and help chart a path forward.

To help contextualize and discuss these findings, we held a public webinar on May 6, where researchers walked through key insights from the data, while Vital City founder Elizabeth Glazer and Fortune Society President and CEO Stanley Richards joined us for further reflections and commentary.

We also hosted an in-person event on May 13 & 14 featuring deeper conversations with experts, community leaders, and policymakers about the implications of these trends and where New York City goes from here.