Are some races more prone to crime–and especially violence–than others?

It remains a hotly-debated topic.  But while the origins of crime remain debatable, the races of its perpetrators and victims can be–and have been–statistically tabulated.

And those statistics haven’t changed much during the last 40 years.

Consider this:

In 1971, Robert Daley, a reporter for the New York Times, became a deputy police commissioner for the New York Police Department (NYPD).

In that capacity, he saw the NYPD from the highest levels to the lowest–from the ornate, awe-inspiring office of  Police Commissioner Patrick Murphy to the gritty, sometimes blood-soaked streets of New York.

He spent one year on the job before resigning–later admitting that when he agreed to take the job, he got more than he bargained for.

It proved to be a tumultuous year in the NY’D’s history:  Among those challenges Daley and his fellow NYPD members faced were the murders of several police officers, committed by members of the militant Black Liberation Army.

Two of those murdered officers were Waverly Jones and Joseph Piagentini.  Jones was black, Piagentini white; both were partners.  Both were shot in the back without a chance to defend themselves.

Writing about these murders in a bestselling 1973 book–Target Blue: An Inside’s View of the N.Y.P.D.–Daley noted:

• Jones and Piagentini were the sixth and seventh policemen–of ten–murdered in 1971.
• About 18 men were involved in these murders.  All were black.
• The city’s politicians knew this–and so did Commissioner Murphy.  None dared say so publicly.

“But the fact remained,” wrote Daley, “that approximately 65% of the city’s arrested murderers, muggers, armed robbers, proved to be black men; about 15% were of Hispanic origin; and about 20% were white [my italics].

The overall racial breakdown of the city was approximately:

• Whites, 63%;
• Blacks, 20%;
• Hispanics 17%.

Stated another way: Blacks, who made up 20% of the city’s population, were responsible for 65% of the city’s major crimes.

Or, as Daley himself put it: “So the dangerous precincts, any cop would tell you, were the black precincts.”

That was 42 years ago.

Now, consider the following statistics released by the NYPD for “Crime and Enforcement Activity in New York City” in 2012.  Its introduction states:

“This report presents statistics on race/ethnicity compiled from the New York City Police Department’s records management system.”

Then follows this chart:

Misdeanor Criminal Mischief
Victim, Suspect, Arrestee Race/Ethnicity                                                                  

American Indians:            Victims:  0.7%   Suspects:  0.3%   Arrestees: 0.3%

Asian/Pacific Islanders:  Victims:  8.4%     Suspects: 3.2%    Arrestees: 3.9%

Blacks:                         Victims: 36.5%  Suspects:  49.6%  Arrestees:  36.5%

Whites:                        Victims: 28.9%   Suspects: 17.0%   Arrestees:  22.9%

Hispanics:                   Victims:  25.4%  Suspects:  29.8%  Arrestees:  36.4%

Total  Victims:        40,985       

Total Suspects:     11,356  

Total Arrests:         7,825

Then come the guts of the report:

Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter Victims:

• Black (60.1%)
• Hispanic (26.7%)
• White victims (8.7%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (4.2%)

Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter Arrestees:

• Black (51.4%)
• Hispanic (36.7%)
• White (9.2%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%)

Rape Victims:

• Black (37.9%)
• Hispanic (36.9%)
• White victims (19.2%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.4%)

Rape Arrestees:

• Black (48.6%)
• Hispanic (42.8%)
• White (5.0%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (3.1%)

Other Felony Sex Crimes Victims:

• Black (40.7%)
• Hispanic (33.6%)
• White victims (19.6%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.9%)

Known Other Felony Sex Crime Arrestees:

• Black (42.3%)
• Hispanic (39.8%)
• White (12.6%)
• Asian /Pacific Islander (5.1%)

Robbery Victims:

• Hispanic (36.1%)
• Black (31.9%)
• White victims (18.3%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (12.8%)

Robbery Arrestees:

• Black (62.1%)
• Hispanic (29.0%)
• White (6.2%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (2.5%)

Felonious Assault Victims:

• Black (47.8%)
• Hispanic (33.6%)
• White (12.4%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.5%)

Felonious Assault Arrestees:

• Black (52.3%)
• Hispanic (33.6%)
• White (9.4%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (4.5%)

Grand Larceny Victims:

• White (42.4%)
• Black (25.0%)
• Hispanic (20.1%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (11.8%)

Grand Larceny Arrestees:

• Black (52.0%)
• Hispanic (28.5%)
• White (14.6%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (4.8%)

Shooting Victims:

• Black (74.1%)
• Hispanic (22.2%)
• White (2.8%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (0.8%)

Shooting Arrestees:

• Black (75.0%)
• Hispanic (22.0%)
• White (2.4%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (0.6%)

Drug Felony Arrest Population:

• Black (45.3%)
• Hispanic (40.0%)
• White (12.7%)
• Asian Pacific Islanders (1.9%)

The Drug Misdemeanor Arrest Population

• Black (49.9%)
• Hispanic (34.5%)
• White (13.3%)
• Asian Pacific Islanders (2.1%)

The Felony Stolen Property Arrest Population:

• Black (52.5%)
• Hispanic (28.9%)
• White (14.5%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (4.0%)

The Misdemeanor Stolen Property Arrest Population:

• Black (47.1%)
• Hispanic (30.2%)
• White (16.9%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.4%)

Violent Crime Suspects:

• Black (66.0%)
• Hispanic (26.1%)
• White (5.8%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders (1.9%)

Reported Crime Complaint Juvenile Victims:

• Black (43.5%)
• Hispanic (38.7%)
• White (11.6%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (5.8%)

Juvenile Crime Complaint Arrestees:

• Black (58.6%)
• Hispanic (32.6%)
• White (5.8%)
• Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%)

Appendix B of the report offers a breakdown of New York City’s racial makeup:

                                                                Total Numbers        % the City’s Population  

• White                                               2,722,904                         (33.3%)
• Black                                               1,861,295                         (22.8%)
• Hispanic                                          2,336,076                         (28.6%)
• Asian/Pacific Islanders                     1,030,914                          (12.6%)

Thus, while Blacks make up 22.8% of New York City’s population, they comprise

• 51.4% of its murder and non-negligent manslaughter arrests;
• 48.6% of its rape arrests;
• 42.3% of its known other felony sex crime arrests;
• 62.1% of its robbery arrests;
• 52.3% of its felonious assault arrests;
• 52.0% of its grand larceny arrests;
• 75.0% of its shooting arrests;
• 45.3% of its drug felony arrests;
• 49.9% of its drug misdemeanor arrests;
• 52.5% of its felony stolen property arrests;
• 47.1% of its misdemeanor stolen property arrests;
• 66.0% of its violent crime suspects;
• 58.6% of its juvenile crime complaint arrests.

While Hispanics make up 28.6% of the city’s population, they account for:

• 36.7% of its murder and non-negligent manslaughter arrests;
• 42.8% of its rape arrests;
• 39.8% for its known other felony sex crime arrests;
• 29.0% of its robbery arrests;
• 33.6% of its felonious assault arrests;
• 28.5% of its grand larceny arrests;
• 22.0% of its shooting arrests;
• 40.0% of its drug felony arrests;
• 34.5% of its drug misdemeanor arrests;
• 28.9% of its felony stolen property arrests;
• 30.2% of its misdemeanor stolen property arrests;
• 26.1% of its violent crime suspects;
• 26.1% of its juvenile crime complaint arrests.

In short:

During the first six months of 2012, 96% of shooting victims were blacks or Hispanics–and in 97% of all cases, the shooters were other blacks or Hispanics.

Blacks and Hispanics comprise 89% of murder victims–and 86% of murder suspects.  Of felony assault victims, 81% are non-whites, as are 88% of the suspects.