NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A whopping 61% of New York state residents are concerned they’ll become a victim of crime and over half fear for the safety of their loved ones in public places, according to a Siena College poll released on Wednesday.
The survey found 21% of New Yorkers are very concerned they’ll fall victim to crime, while 40% are concerned.
Just over half—51%—of those polled were concerned for their family’s safety in public places like schools, stores or houses of worship.
And more than a third of respondents—36%—said they’ve felt threatened over the past year in a public place by a stranger’s behavior.
Forty percent of New Yorkers said they’ve “never been this worried about their personal safety as they are today,” while 58% said they’re no more worried today than they’ve been in the past.
The director of the Siena College Research Institute, Don Levy, said of the poll: “Crime isn’t just something that happens to others far away,” according to New Yorkers.
The poll also revealed that 40% of state residents have spent $100 or more in the last year on goods or services that make them feel safer or more protected from crime. Of those, 12% had spent more than $500.
About a third (34%) have purchased home security cameras or security lights with motion sensors (32%), while a quarter have set up a professional home security system.
Some other takeaways from the poll:
• Nearly 1 in 10 of New York state residents (9%) have been physically assaulted over the past year; for New York City residents, the share is 16%.
• Nine percent of New York state residents have been the victim of a burglary over the past year, while 16% of residents in New York City have.
• Nearly 40% of New Yorkers have witnessed violent or threatening behavior in public.
• 87% believe crime is a serious problem in the state, with 57% saying it’s a problem in their community.
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