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Subway crime has increased alarmingly over the past five years. New Yorkers in crisis.
There has been a 56% increase in assaults this year compared to 2019, with 10 so far in 2024 after decades when underground murders averaged one or two per year. This is twice the number of murders in 2023.
So on Monday the city council hold a special hearing To solve subway safety issues
Exception: The hearing was not about rampant crime, but about a type of completely avoidable subway mayhem. Because it is entirely self-inflicted.
“Subway surfing” is a trend in which passengers, mostly teenagers, climb atop subway cars on elevated lines and “surf” while maintaining their balance on top of trains that can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.
This obviously dangerous activity has left six children dead and seven seriously injured this year alone.
Subway surfing is definitely no joke. In early November, a girl Fell off the 2 train in Harlem. And I lost my arms and legs.
The creepy image of her arm lying on top of a traffic signal should be warning enough to any would-be imitators that this game is a bad idea.
In response, the MTA, Schools, Youth and Community Development, and NYPD have taken the following actions through subway advertising, social media campaigns, and in-school messaging: spread a rumor.
that Police are using drones It identifies subway surfers in real time and has arrested 181 of these quirky daredevils so far this year.
But leave it to the City Council to stand in the stands moaning and complaining about how New Yorkers failed their youth.
“I am concerned about the increase in arrests of young people,” said Public Advocate Juman Williams. “I am especially concerned about the increased use of surveillance technology given the NYPD’s history of surveilling New Yorkers.”
“I often ask myself, “Would you listen to me when I was young?” Williams thought deeply during his testimony. “I’m not sure I have the full answer to that.”
He ended his speech with a predictable call to “expand resources for youth, including mental health treatment and safe, engaging after-school programs.”
Councilwoman Althea Stevens continued this investigation. “Why are young people doing this and not participating in our programs? “Isn’t our program interesting enough?” She was nervous.
“We have a responsibility to address the root causes. . . This includes lack of participation in activities.”
Of course, the left’s focus on “programs” and “activities” supports their real goal of increased social spending: the eternally progressive answer to all problems.
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In addition to dozens of sports teams and clubs, New York City offers all 900 after-school programs for free or nearly free and spends billions of dollars maintaining parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and recreation centers. Play in traffic or teeter on the train.
Nevertheless, we have failed in our ‘responsibility’ to ‘involve’ young people.
Subway surfing is a thing, and to scare kids who do that, maybe we should introduce them to the girl who fell off a train and lost both limbs.
But what it’s really saying is that the City Council is rushing to schedule hearings on this topic. To be honest, there isn’t much you can do. Meanwhile, it studiously ignored rampant crime in the subway system, a problem that the City Council could solve.
At a March 2024 public safety budget hearing (one of the few recent City Council hearings that also addressed transit crime), Williams argued that subway crime is caused by: Yes of the police.
City Council member Lincoln Restler criticized the NYPD for “rounding up” non-white people in “mass arrest” operations.
And Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark claimed, without evidence, that “a lack of resources for youth and mental health is driving violence, subway crime, and retail theft.”
The dirty truth about subway crime is that the city knows exactly how to reduce it because we’ve done it before.
Proactive policing will find and confiscate illegal firearms that are detected, or at least prevent illegal guns from entering the system, which is a proven method of persuading people to keep guns at home.
More police presence on platforms and trains will keep criminals out of the system.
And if we apply Kendra’s Law proactively, we can force the severely mentally ill derelicts living in the subway system to get the treatment they clearly need.
It’s one thing to demand a solution to the problem of teenagers putting themselves in danger by banging on tables and climbing onto moving trains.
It’s quite another to deal with gangbangers, lunatics and menacing people who are allowed to turn New York’s subways into playrooms.
Seth Barron’s next book, ‘Weaponized’, is scheduled to be published in 2025.
How does the perceived prioritization of addressing subway surfing over other forms of subway crime by the City Council potentially impact community trust and safety perceptions within the subway system?
## Subway Surfing vs. Subway Crime: A Conversation with Seth Barron and a Community Activist
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World-Today-News, where we delve into the critical issues shaping our city. Today, we’re discussing a pressing problem impacting New York’s subway system: the rise of subway surfing and the stark contrast with the City Council’s apparent prioritization of this issue over rampant crime.
Joining us today are two insightful voices:
* **Seth Barron,** author and expert on crime and urban policy, whose recent New York Post article ignited a strong reaction to the City Council hearing on subway surfing.
* **Maria Rodriguez,** a dedicated community activist
Welcome both!
**Part 1: The Subway Surfing Phenomenon**
**Seth**, your article highlighted the disturbing rise of subway surfing, which is currently responsible for tragic youth deaths. What are your initial thoughts on this phenomenon? What factors do you believe contribute to its appeal amongst young people?
**Maria,** how prevalent is this issue within the communities you work with? Do you see similar trends and concerns?
**Part 2: The City Council’s Focus: A Misplaced Priority?**
**Seth**, in your article, you argue that the City Council’s focus on subway surfing while seemingly ignoring the escalation of violent crime in the subway system is problematic. Can you elaborate on this point?
**Maria,** from your perspective as a community activist, how do you perceive the City Council’s
prioritization of these two issues?
**Part 3: Addressing the Root Causes**
**Maria,** you’ve worked closely with young people in underprivileged communities.
What are the underlying social and economic factors that might be contributing to both subway surfing and the rise in subway crime?
**Seth,** while acknowledging the need to address these root causes, what immediate steps, beyond social programs, could be taken to address both subway surfing and the wider issue of subway crime?
**Part 4: Finding Solutions: A Balanced Approach?**
**Seth,** your article suggests that a proactive policing approach was effective in reducing crime in the past. Do you believe a similar strategy could be applied today?
**Maria,** what role can community outreach and engagement play in creating a safer subway environment for everyone?
**Conclusion:**
We’d like to thank both **Seth Barron** and **Maria Rodriguez** for sharing their valuable insights on this complex and critical issue. The rise of subway surfing and the wider context of subway crime necessitate ongoing dialog, innovative solutions, and collaboration between
various stakeholders to create a safer and more secure transit experience for all New Yorkers.
**Call to Action:**
We encourage our viewers and readers to share their thoughts and join the conversation on this important topic. Let’s work together to find meaningful solutions for a safer New York City subway system.
