NEW YORK, June 7 (Xinhua) -- As many as 76 percent of residents in New York City, the most populous city in the United States, are very concerned or somehow concerned about being the victim of violent crime, according to the findings of a survey released on Tuesday.
In general, seven in 10 New Yorkers say they feel less safe today than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, while 25 percent of them feel as safe as before, according to the survey, which was conducted by Spectrum News NY1 and Siena College from May 22 to June 1 covering 1,000 residents in the city.
"While two-thirds of all adults are concerned about being a crime victim, more than eight in 10 New Yorkers of color are concerned, 45 percent of them very concerned," said Dr. Don Levy, director at Siena College Research Institute.
As a result, half of New Yorkers changed their daily routine to feel safer, said Levy.
The survey shows that 85 percent of New Yorkers support having more police on the subways and 63 percent of respondents are in support of metal detectors at subway entrances.
Meanwhile, 52 percent of New York residents want to increase the budget for the Police Department of New York City, with 17 percent of respondents holding the opposite opinion.
The survey shows that 35 percent of respondents or someone they know have sought mental health treatment since the outbreak of the pandemic, and as many as 89 percent of respondents support making it easier to admit those who're dangerous to the public or themselves to mental health facilities.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday criticized local prosecutors and judges for being soft on criminals, saying the city's criminal justice system is "a laughingstock of our entire country."
