Apparently you also elect to believe what you want to believe. Subway riders on edge as assaults rise, but felonies at historically low levels amid National Guard deployment
Maybe New York City should bring back its Transit Police Department. For decades the NY Subway system was patrolled by a separate police department. That ended when a certain mayor decided that it would be more efficient to fold the separate Transit Police Department back into the larger NYC Police Department. Before the Transit Police were abolished. Bring Back New York's Transit Police, by Ted Rall
Posted above: Subway riders on edge as assaults rise, but felonies at historically low levels amid National Guard deployment this is a very clever headline, which purports to say one thing, but really says nothing at all. It says assaults are on the rise. Well, that’s not good. Then it says “felonies at historic lows”. Well, does that mean they used to be absolutely horrific and now they’re just bad? And, it’s only felonies. If someone punches me in the face in New York City, is that a felony? Or is that just a misdemeanor? In other words, you’re still more likely than you were before to get robbed, stabbed/or beaten up on the subway But the good news is you’re less likely to get murdered. Oh joy that’s fabulous. I’m so looking forward to my trip to New York City in early April. the point here is the headline really says nothing but tries to give the implication that things are better. Swing and a miss - Very clever by the headline writer, but silly to use that as proof of things being in good shape.
Yes, stabbings would be felonies. As would armed robberies. And yes, you are much less likely to be murdered. The issue is that your beliefs are likely not falsifiable. If the statistics of crime dropping aren't proof that crime has dropped, what would be?
Murders are down. That’s good and I accept that as accurate. Assaults are up. And, I would tend to believe in sheer numbers there are a lot more assaults than murders. So, what is “down”?
It looks like NYC uses a category called "Major Felonies." That consists of Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Rape, Robbery, Felony Assault, Burglary, Grand Larceny, and Grand Larceny of Motor Vehicle. More generally, violent crime appears to usually consist of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
