“He’s not really taking on street crime,” said Jeffrey A. Butts, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “He’s using the crime issue for political posturing and political gain.”
Public officials may point to “juvenile” crime when responding to public concerns about community safety. Recent statements by federal officials echo the political rhetoric of the 1990s when politicians across the country blamed young people for what were actually generalized increases in crime.
Jeffrey Butts, executive director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay, said the board clearly received professional guidance for the characteristics of adolescence and behavior. “All the language they are using is right on the money,” he said.
“In Midtown, and in most of Manhattan, your chances of being harmed personally by crime are quite low,” said Jeffrey A. Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “The people most at risk are in the disadvantaged, economically excluded neighborhoods.”
After a violence interrupter program was implemented in Brooklyn’s East New York section, gun injury rates fell 50 percent — compared to a 5 percent decline in nearby Flatbush, a neighborhood without such a program, according to a 2017 study from John Jay College.
New York addresses gun violence with a combination of gun control measures, community-based interventions, and enforcement coordination. Efforts focus on conflict mediation, job training, outreach to high-risk individuals, and intelligence-sharing networks that provide analytical support to aid investigations and public safety. This comprehensive approach reflects New York’s commitment to protecting communities.
