Giuliani Campaign Press Release - CompStat: Measuring Crime To Reduce It

CompStat, the revolutionary program introduced by Mayor Giuliani in 1994, allowed the NYPD to measure crime in the city in ways it never could before. Using detailed computer-generated maps, the NYPD could quickly spot increases in crime in different parts of the city and use that information to reallocate police officers to the areas they were most needed. Instead of waiting weeks — or even months — for reports, the NYPD had near real-time information that allowed them to go on the offense against crime. CompStat helped change New York City from the crime capital of the world into America's safest large city.

GIULIANI TOOK OVER A CITY FACING AN OUT OF CONTROL CRIME PROBLEM

In 1993, the year before Mayor Giuliani took office, there were 1,946 murders in New York City and 11,555 major crimes per week. ("1993 Index Of Crime By Metropolitan Statistical Area," 1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report, p. 139)

GIULIANI INITIATED COMPSTAT TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS, ENFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND REDUCE CRIME

CompStat provided NYPD with detailed information about every crime reported in the city, allowing NYPD to recognize problematic areas and devise new strategies to fight crime. (Elizabeth Lesly, "A Safer New York City," Business Week, 12/11/95)

With detailed statistics, precinct commanders were held accountable, and had to defend any increases in crime or unusual activity in their areas. (David C. Anderson, "Crime Stoppers," The New York Times, 2/9/97)

COMPSTAT PRODUCED REAL, TANGIBLE RESULTS

From 1993 to 2001, murders dropped 66% and major crimes per week were cut in half. ("2001 Index Of Crime By Metropolitan Statistical Area, 2001 FBI Uniform Crime Report, www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm, Accessed 3/12/07)

Other crime reductions between 1993 and 2001: Rape-45.7%; Robbery-67.2%; Aggravated Assault- 39.6%; Burglary-68.2%; Larceny-43%; Motor Vehicle Theft- 73.3%. (1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report; 2001 FBI Uniform Crime Report, www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm, Accessed 3/12/07)

RECOGNIZED FOR ITS SUCCESS, COMPSTAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY OTHER CITIES

In 1996, CompStat won the Innovation In Government Award from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Ford Foundation. (Ronald Powers, "Ford Foundation Honors NYPD's Crime-Fighting Computer Program," The Associated Press, 12/3/96)

Cities like New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Los Angeles have all created versions of CompStat. "Along with NYPD veterans, cities such as New Orleans, Philadelphia and Baltimore also have imported versions of Compstat, New York's innovative crime-mapping system that analyzes reams of data to focus enforcement on high-crime areas. Former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton is putting it in place in Los Angeles." (Michael Weissenstein, "Troubled Cities Look To NYPD Veterans For Help," The Associated Press, 1/2/03)