Safest Big City: NYC Transforms from One of the Most Dangerous to Safest

Known for having some of the strictest gun laws, NYC has surprisingly become one of the nation's safest cities.Photo by(The author)

NYC now ranks among the safest big cities in America

New York City — If you're a movie buff, you've seen your share of films depicting the "old" New York.

From gory images of graffiti-filled subways to pick-pocketers roaming Times Square, the New York City of the 70s and 80s is now a distant memory.

Harlem's once tough neighborhoods have been converted into gentrified, manicured sidewalks. Indeed, today offers a new New York. And the analytics seem to agree.

One of the reasons for NYC's safety is its harsh gun laws. If you need a case in point, look no further than to one-time Super Bowl hero, Plaxico Burress.

Shortly after Burress caught the game-winning catch, to help New York win the Super Bowl, he found himself sentenced to two years in prison. Why? He accidentally shot himself... with his own gun.

But Burress accidentally shooting himself wasn't the main issue. Instead, the mere fact he was carrying a gun — in a city with some of the world's harshest gun penalties — landed him behind bars.

According to recent research, New York City ranks safest among big cities for gun violence. The threat of being sentenced to prison time deters criminal activity. Clearly.

Mayor Adams recently highlighted the city's safety relative to other big cities. He pointed out that, though the crime rate is down in NYC, his critics refuse to acknowledge this fact.

Whether NYC's safety is acknowledged or not, the facts say — New York City, once among the most dangerous cities, has become one of the safest in America.