Surge in Youth Crime Rates in New York City
The number of individuals under the age of 18 accused of serious crimes, including murders, robberies, and assaults, has seen a significant spike in New York City over the past seven years, according to data from the Police Department. This alarming trend has raised concerns among law enforcement officials.
In 2022, there were 4,858 major crimes involving minors accused or arrested, a substantial increase from 3,543 in 2017, representing a staggering 37 percent rise. Among these, the cases of felony assaults, where individuals suffer serious injuries or weapons such as guns or knives are involved, have surged by 28 percent since 2017. Furthermore, incidents of robberies have escalated by 52 percent. Notably, the number of killings linked to young offenders rose dramatically to 36 in 2023, compared to just 10 in 2017.
Equally concerning is the increase in young victims, which has soared by 54 percent by 2023 compared to 2017. “Most of what we see is youth-on-youth crime,” commented Chief Michael LiPetri, who oversees crime strategies for the Police Department.
While crime committed by adults has also risen during this timeframe, the proportion of crimes involving youth in 2023 remains relatively small, accounting for about 3.8 percent of total crime, consistent with figures from 2017. However, police officials warn that a rise in serious incidents involving minors could foreshadow further violence in the future.
The seven index crimes recognized by law enforcement are:
- Murder
- Rape
- Robbery
- Felony Assault
- Burglary
- Grand Larceny
- Grand Larceny of Automobiles
Many of these crimes have continued to trend upward dramatically in 2024, particularly robberies and felony assaults. As of October 1, there have been arrests for 969 felony assaults and 2,019 robberies, marking a 17 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
