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Are you worried about being a victim of a crime?
- Yes
- No
The poll, released Wednesday, July 12, found that 61 percent of state residents are either very (21 percent) or somewhat (40 percent) worried about becoming a crime victim.
Researchers also found that 51 percent of New Yorkers have been worried about their safety, or their family’s safety, in public places. Thirty-six percent of respondents said they’ve felt threatened by a stranger’s behavior in public in the past year.
That growing concern was reflected in people’s purchasing decisions, the poll found.
Forty percent of residents said they’ve spent $100 or more on products or services to make them feel safer in the last year. Twelve percent have spent over $500.
Specifically, 34 percent have bought home security cameras and 32 percent purchased security lights with motion sensors.
A quarter have signed up for a professionally monitored home security system, while one out of every six New Yorkers has taken a self-defense class. Twelve percent reported buying a gun to protect themselves.
When it comes to actual crimes, nearly one in 10 (nine percent) said they’ve been physically assaulted, and nine percent have been the victim of a burglary.
Nearly 40 percent have witnessed violent or threatening behavior in public, and 41 percent said they’ve never been as worried about their personal safety as they are today, according to the poll.
A majority (58 percent) of respondents said they are no more worried about being a victim of a crime than they were in the past.
“Crime isn’t just something that happens to others far away according to New Yorkers,” said Siena College pollster Don Levy.
“While 87 percent say crime is a serious problem in our state and 57 percent say it is a problem in their community, a disturbingly high 61 percent say that they are worried about it happening to them, a majority are concerned about themselves or their loved ones being safe in public places and many are taking steps to protect themselves as best they can,” he continued.
“New Yorkers across the entire state agree that crime is a serious problem, but New York City residents are more likely to see crime as a serious problem in their community and as a threat to them personally compared to those that live in either the metro suburbs or upstate.”
The Siena College Poll was conducted between June 4 and June 12 by random phone calls to 382 New York adults via landline and cell phones, as well as 420 responses from a proprietary online panel of New Yorkers.
Are you worried about being a victim of a crime? Sound off in our poll above.
Read the full Siena College poll results here.
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