Crime So Bad In New York, Even Democratic Voters Think It’s a Top Priority: POLL

Democratic and Republican voters want New York’s main legislative focus in 2022 to be fighting crime, according to a new Siena College Research Institute poll.

Roughly 25% of Independents, Republicans and Democrats agreed that crime should be the top focus of the state’s legislative session in 2022, according to the survey. Crime has been on the rise across the country, specifically in New York, where it became the leading issue in the New York City mayoral race. Former police officer Eric Adams won the June election after running on a promise to crack down on crime.

The overall index crime rate, which includes murder, rape, robbery and burglary, increased by 11.2% in New York City from October 2020 to October 2021, according to NYPD data. Robbery increased by 15.8% and felonious assault increased by 13.8 % during the same time period.

Nearly an equal amount of males and females, 25% and 26% respectively, thought that crime should be made a top priority, according to the poll.

New Yorkers ranked economic opportunity as another key issue looking ahead to 2022, with 24% of Democrats and 27% of Republicans reflecting it as a major concern, the poll showed.

In contrast, 23% of Democrats wanted a greater focus on managing the pandemic, while only 9% of Republicans believed it to be the most prominent issue.

Republicans are concerned with what is being taught in New York’s public schools, with 20% of  respondents asking for a greater focus on ensuring appropriate curriculum. Only 5% of Democrats had concerns with the state’s educational system, conversely.

The survey was conducted among 785 New York state registered voters from Nov. 29 – Dec. 3, 2021 with a margin of error of +/- 4.0%.