February 12, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com

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New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly faces calls for increased police oversight after revelations about his participation in an anti-Muslim video that was used to train officers.

Recent Crime and Safety Articles from the Gotham Gazette:

Controversial Video Sparks Outrage at NYPD | City Hall and CCRB Negotiate Over Hiring Freeze | The Guns on Our Streets | In New York, the Police Police the Police

Researching Crime and Safety ...

Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Kids on the East Side
Children under 18 make up about 30 percent of residents in both East Harlem and the Upper East Side. But according to this report by Transportation Alternatives, East Harlem children account for 43 percent of crash victims, while Upper East Side children represent less than 15 percent of neighborhood car crashes with pedestrians and bicyclists, a three-fold disparity. (January 24, 2012)

Vouchers and Crime
No evidence exists to link an increase in the number of housing vouchers in a an area with a rise in crime, according to a new study by NYU's Furman Center. The paper looked at 10 major U.S. cities, including New York, controlling for other factors the neighborhoods. While crime does tend to be higher in neighborhoods were many low-income people with the vouchers live, the study concluded this was not the fault of the voucher holders but rather because "voucher holders tend to move into neighborhoods where crime rates are increasing." (November 4, 2011)

Police Overtime Much More Than Wall Street Protest Costs
The Wall Street protests cost the city $3.4 million in police overtime, but overtime totaled $549.5 million in 2011 according to this Independent Budget Office report. Overtime costs have been rising, too. It grew from $412 million in 2006 to $538.4 million in 2010. Some portion of the increase is probably a reflection of wage growth during the five years, not just more overtime hours. (October 26, 2011)

The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods For Pedestrians
Transportation Alternatives' new interactive online map charts motorist crashes with pedestrians and breaks down the data by community district to give a historic view of road safety. Midtown Manhattan is the most dangerous, with 8,604 crashes. (October 20, 2011)

Child Fatality is Lower in City than Nationwide
Between 2001 and 2009, the overall death rate for children aged one to 12 years old was 30 percent lower in the city than nationwide, according to this report by the Health Department. Transportation-related deaths were the main cause of fatalities, even though this was still much lower than the national average. (September 14, 2011)

New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault works to develop and advance strategies, policies and responses that prevent sexual violence and limit its destabilizing effects on victims, families and communities.
Center for Court Innovation
Founded as a public/private partnership between the New York State Unified Court System and the Fund for the City of New York, the Center for Court Innovation is a non-profit think tank that helps courts and criminal justice agencies aid victims, reduce crime and improve public trust in justice. The center combines action and reflection to spark problem-solving innovation both locally and nationally.
Gothamist Breaking News Map
The Gothamist provides this map that updates momentarily, highlighting points of interest with geographic representations.
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, an independent, bipartisan commission created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. The Commission is also mandated to provide recommendations designed to guard against future attacks. The site was frozen in 2004, but still remains a useful research tool.
NYPD Rant
Former police officer Edward Polstein started this busy Web site as a forum to discuss his own personal complaints about his job, and claims it ended up getting him fired (the police department denies this). Conversations revolve around policing, and range from what kind of guns officers are allowed to carry to whether the police union is "USELESS". Posts are often rude and can be filled with jargon because, as one recent visitor put it, "it's a place for NYPD cops to rant and gripe not to educate the masses about what MOS means or anything else."

Sites of Interest from Collegester:
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