2017 Was Brooklyn’s Safest Year On Record

As 2017 winds to a close this weekend, it will go down as the safest year on record, part of a historic decrease in crime across New York City. Today, Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez released a statement outlining the finer points of 2017’s crime reductions—especially the lowest number of homicides and shootings since recording-keeping began.

There were 101 homicide deaths in Brooklyn this year, which is 18 fewer murders than last year, a 14% decrease. Shooting incidents and shooting victims were down an impressive 29% and 30% respectively over last year. The numbers were calculated as of December 24, 2017, and the percent decreases in these categories even outpaced the historic citywide declines during 2017.

“The historic declines in crime that we are experiencing in Brooklyn can be described as nothing short of a miracle. But they were not achieved by chance—they are a testament to the dedicated work and smart-on-crime strategies of the NYPD, my prosecutors and our other partners in law enforcement and in the community,” said Acting District Attorney Gonzalez.

While the Total Crime Index—measuring the seven major felony crimes—was down 5% from last year in Brooklyn, there were outliers. Reported rapes went up by 4.3%, an increase of 19 additional incidents.

Acting District Attorney Gonzales will be sworn in for his first term as District Attorney on January 1, 2018. Gonzalez is pushing for criminal justice reform throughout the system, calling for the closure of Rikers Island, protection of non-citizen defendants for low-level charges, and incarceration alternatives for those aged 18-24.

“Next year, I pledge to continue the focus on enhancing safety while putting forth an ambitious reform agenda that will identify new opportunities for diversion, reduce reliance on incarceration and promote a fair system of justice that strengthens communities’ trust and engagement,” said Gonzalez.