Ticket Punch: The Consequences of Fare Evasion Enforcement in New York City Subways

This report analyzed associations between fare evasion in subway stations and station complexes throughout New York City, and arrests reported by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) between 2018 and 2023. The research team also considered the social and economic characteristics of the neighborhoods surrounding each transit station. The study found no statistically significant associations between fare evasion enforcements and total arrests for felonies and misdemeanors. Fare evasion enforcement, however, was most prevalent in stations whose neighborhoods were characterized by high socioeconomic disadvantage. The statistical interaction of crime rates, fare evasion enforcement, and socioeconomic disadvantage underscores the role of social factors in public safety.