More than 60% of New Yorkers are worried they’re destined to become a victim of a crime and have taken steps to better protect themselves — including purchasing a gun, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
Seventeen percent of city residents questioned in the Siena College Research Institute poll admitted that they’ve bought a firearm in the last year to protect themselves, the study shows.
The poll found that 61% of New Yorkers are either very concerned or somewhat concerned that they will be a victim of a crime one day.
Out of that number, 51% said they were concerned for their family’s safety and one in 10 New Yorkers said they have been physically assaulted in the past year. The results were culled from randomly questioning 802 city and state residents in June.
Out of the city residents polled, 46% said they have witnessed either violence or threatening behavior in a public area, and 57% said they were concerned about their safety on city streets and subways.
“Crime and the threat of crime is on the minds of many of us as we simply go through our everyday lives,” Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy said as he released the poll’s findings. “Most say that they are no more worried than ever but over 40% say it’s the worst it’s ever been.”
The number of those worried about being crime victims is “disturbingly high,” Levy said.
“A majority are concerned about themselves or their loved ones being safe in public places and many are taking steps to protect themselves as best they can,” he said.
About 40% of those polled said they have spent more than $100 on items they feel would protect them from crime. These range from taking a self defense class or investing in a home security system, the study revealed.
Seventeen percent of city residents polled admitted that they had purchased a firearm for personal protection in the last year, the study shows.
Unprovoked assaults on city streets and high-profile cases like the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a city train have ramped up the perception of the city’s lawlessness, but recent police data show that crime is actually down in the five boroughs.—
As of Sunday, homicides in the city had dropped by 8%, from 231 this time last year to 212. Shootings were also down by 25%, NYPD statistics show.
Assaults, however, had risen by 6%, from 13,378 this time last year to 14,175, cops said.
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