ALBANY – The overall crime rate across New York State has seen a steep drop during the past two decades.
That’s according to research from The PEW Charitable Trusts, which found that the crime rate in New York State has declined by 54 percent since 1994 and also shows that New York’s imprisonment rate has dropped 24 percent during the same time.
The study is based on data from the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI.
Additionally, for 2013 the New York crime rate has reached an all-time low with a continued decline in the first six months of 2014. According to the report, the state has also experienced a significant decrease in the number of reported crimes. From 1990 through 2012, the state saw crime drop 62 percent, driven by a 73 percent decrease in New York City.
In 2012, New York State was the safest large state in the nation, and the third safest overall, behind only Idaho and North Dakota, according to data compiled by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The reduction in the prison population is due entirely to a decrease in the number of nonviolent drug offenders who are in prison.
The report covers statistics across the entire state. However, both Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi and Jamestown Public Safety Director Harry Snellings have said in recent months that overall crime is also down in the city, compared to past decades.
The same can not be said at the county level, where just last week Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace said the county jail currently has a record number of local inmates compared to any past year.
In recent months there have been a number of high-profile drug-related arrests in the city and county. But local public safety officials have said that the overall number of violent crimes, such as assault, rape and murder, on average, is lower than where it was in past decades.
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