PLG: WICKED Dangerous

As we all know, the expert commenters on Brownstoner have confirmed again and again that PLG is horribly, exceptionally and infuriatingly dangerous.  Personally, we're grateful for the fact that we are superhumanly agile, as we would otherwise have surely been hit by the many stray bullets we dodge daily and nightly...  even when we're inside our home.

As the data tell us, our precinct's murder rate is down 20% YTD as compared to 2005.  Rape is down 22.7%; robbery down 6.4%; felony assault down 4.0%; burglary down 15.3%.  Grand larceny is up 1.6%.  Compare this with the cherished 88th precinct, which includes Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, where murder is up 175% YTD. 

It should be noted that murder rates have plunged to the extent that percent change isn't necessarily that meaningful; in our precinct the crude number of murders dropped from 20 to 16.  For the 88th, murders rose from 0 to 3.

See the complete report for the week of December 4 - 10 here: Download 12.06 crime stats.pdf 

We want to make it clear to our buddies at Brownstoner that this post is NOT a critique of their work.  We think their blog is excellent.

Comments

[mapler]

Since PLG is such a large area, and most of the chatter on Brownstoner concerns the wee area that is Lefferts Manor, I wonder if there is a way of extracting specific crime data for just LM.

[babs]

I don't think that non-LM PLG is much different from LM in terms of safety and crime. What is different is PLG vs. the rest of the precinct.

And Brownstoner is a superb blog; what sucks is the nasty trolls who ruin it, which is obviously beyond Jon's control (even when he had registration there were trolls).

[PLG rez]

let's not even use the "T" word. For some reason it's intepretted as inflamatory by many.

[jd]

District-wide stats aren't too useful. If there had been 16-20 murders a year in PLG, I'd be out of here. Even district-wide, that figure is frightening.

As for the T word, I do think it should be used only for those who make the most inflamatory comments which are clearly intended to inflame people and disrupt the site. A troll is different from an idiot who believes everything they hear or read.

[Ed]

PLG is a small portion of the 71st precinct, which extends to the north to Eastern Parkway, south to Clarkson and East to Utica Avenue.

Get to know the entire precinct, and it will become abundantly clear that non-PLG parts are much more "wild" than PLG, and Lefferts Manor is certainly the safest part of PLG.

[Harry]

We should take a poll of how long everyone has been living in PLG. That would be fun.

[Dan S]

When you look at the downward trajectory of crime in the 71, over the past 5, 10 and 15 years, you really get a proper picture of how things are improving. Don't have stats handy, but the reductions are staggering. Will try to obtain and share.

Also, Pct to Pct, it's still hard to compare stats, as population isn't necessarily consistent within the boundaries of each Pct.

[plgrez]

Download the PDF and you have crime stats going back 15 years.

[Bob Marvin]

"let's not even use the "T" word. For some reason it's intepretted as inflamatory by many."

True; a**hole has a nice ring to it, don't you think? :-)

Seriously, "jd" has a very good point wehen hs/she writes "A troll is different from an idiot who believes everything they hear or read." The former are an annoyance and can be ignored, [or possibly swatted like flies]; the latter are more numerous and troublesome and there isn't a lot that can be done about it.

[nix]

So what did we learn from these numbers? That there are 16 murders a year in our precinct but only 3 in the 88th?

There is crime in our neighborhood people. Yes, the precinct includes Crown Heights, but Crown Heights is not THAT far away.

I'm just saying, I love the neighborhood, but it's dumb to let your guard down. I know there are women that walk home alone from the train after midnight and I think that's crazy. Our neighborhood doesn't have to be crime free for us to love it and be proud of it.

[Bob Marvin]

nix,

I agree, more or less, with your comment, but I think you're setting up a straw man--has ANYONE said that PLG is "crime free"? Relatively safe, yes. I may have even said that I think we have one of the safest brownstone neighborhoods, but no NYC neighborhood is crime free.

[PLG rez]

No one in any part of NYC should let their guard down. I think the stats from the 71st show that, like other parts of Brooklyn, crime is down in PLG, which is contrary to the assertions of some online commenters. I think everyone knows that there is crime in our neighborhood, but it's not a war zone.

[Ed]

Nix - please elaborate on the crime in our neighborhood without involving a discussion of the 71st precinct which lies outside of PLG. Please provide SPECIFICS. Please don't include the sale of nickel bags or jumping turnstiles. I want to know about theft, muggings and shootings.

[Ed]

(p.s. - I'm getting SO tired of white people assuming PLG is dangerous because there are a lot of black people.)

[putnam-denizen]

But in that respect not so different from Clinton Hill? Of course many of the fancier places on Dekalb in Fort Greene serve people the lighter shade of pale.

[Ed]

What are you doing on our blog, Putnam-Denizen. Go back to Brownstoner.com.

[Bob M]

Putnam-denizen is probably here because this thread was on "Brooklyn Record" today, but what's the problem?--he/she seems to be commiserating with us. It seems to me that we share this common problem with all the brownstone neighborhoods east of Flatbush Avenue.

[Ed]

Just a joke, Bob and Putnam. No hard feelings!

[Ed]

(I forgot to use my emoticons...:))

[USG]

Crime stats aside, do you folks on this blog personally feel that it is safe for a woman to be walking home after dark from the Prospect Park subway station? Are there enough cops around? Is there a lot of car theft? I think you have a really great neighborhood - I'm just trying to gather all of my facts before making a move. Negative responses wouldn't actually deter me from moving there - I just want to be fully aware of the current situation. Thanks so much.

[babs]

I've lived in PLG for two years now, on Lefferts between Rogers and Nostrand, and I walk home alone at all hours of the day and night from both the Sterling St 2 stop and the Prospect Park Q/B stop. My preference, when coming home late (after 11 or so) is to go to Sterling St, because that's closest to my home (and I'm tired then!), but also because there are more people out on Nostrand, and businesses open (the deli right outside the subway stop I think is even 24 hours or close to it, and fried chicken place is open very late too, as is the liquor store between Sterling and Lefferts) - the blocks of Lefferts between Washington and Rogers have no businesses and are pretty much deserted at night -- I've never had any kind of a problem, and don't really expect one, there, but I just prefer the shorter, less-deserted walk.

Perhaps these businesses are not to everyone's taste on this blog, but I do patronize them (even the nasty fried chicken -- usually after a night out, and always regretted) and their presence does comfort me. And say what you will about the activities of some of the people hanging out on Nostrand Ave, my logic is that criminals don't want witnesses -- of any sort. No-one's ever bothered me, or offered to sell me drugs, or anything - I deplore all such activity, of course, but I do feel better with people around.

With Enduro now open until 11 every night, I expect that block of Lincoln Rd to get a lot better fast.

In terms of car theft, I'd have no idea -- I don't have a car!

[babs]

And, BTW, I am a woman :)

[USG]

Thanks, Babs! I really appreciate the info. Have a wonderful holiday. :)

[babs]

Anytime, USG, and same to you :)

[Xavier]

(p.s. - I'm getting SO tired of white people assuming PLG is dangerous because there are a lot of black people.)

Sorry to break it to ya, Ed, but a cursory look at the Dept. of Justice's crime statistics will show you those fears are pure common sense. For the record, my girlfriend thinks the area is dangerous as well. She's Chinese.

Common sense, my friend.