How much credit does Giuliani deserve for fighting crime?

It's a centerpiece of his campaign: That as mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani drove crime down and made the streets safer for residents and visitors alike. Anyone who visited the Big Apple pre- and post-Rudy could see the difference. But how much credit does Giuliani really deserve for the amazing transformation?

Our PolitiFact feature takes a look here.

Comments

Truth, 2.3 million in prison and 60% are NOT black. Whites commit most crimes in America .

Rudy= Phony...so showing up after an attack makes you some kind of expert on terror. Are you freaking kidding me? there is a reason those who know him best want nothing to do with him. What a freaking empty suit, do nothing, media celebrity.

From the report:

" And it’s true. The violent crime rate dropped by 56 percent during the eight years he served as mayor. Murder, down nearly two-thirds. Robbery, down 67 percent. Aggravated assault, down 28 percent."

Get comfortable with Rudy. He will be the Republican presidential nominee.

Get comfortable with Rudy. He will be the Republican presidential nominee.

11:31 you know, another way of putting that is:

15% of the people (blacks in America) commit 40% of the crimes.

How's that?

[agatha]

Another lousy research job by the SPT. They note the downward crime trend started three years before Giuliani took office but guess who was U. S. attorney in NYC during that time? Giuliani oversaw more than 4,000 convictions including drug dealers and Wall Street wheeler dealers. Giuliani backed the police ferociously, and transformed a crime-infested metropolis to a city that was safe for tourists and residents.

To be sure, even Giuliani’s critics, including Fagan, praise him for reorganizing the New York Police Department and providing the resources it needed. He gave precinct captains decision-making authority and backed CompStat, an innovative program that tracked crime and held commanders responsible for their sectors.
"He also brought confidence to a police force that felt besieged and demoralized under the previous Democratic administration. Howard Safir, the city’s police commissioner from 1996 to 2000, said Giuliani deserves the credit because he provided leadership and badly needed support."

Same report.

[Zhombre]

The key phrase in that article: When he took office in 1994, Giuliani kept his word.

Perhaps he will do the same in 2009.

So let me get it straight:

According to your PolitiFact report:
1) Giuliani increased the sixe of the police force fro 28,000 to 40,000; 2) He implemented the "broken window" theory; and 3) crime went down 56% under his tenure.

But your little report's authors aren't sure how much credit Rudy deserves for it.

Get a life, you communists!

[No To Rudy]

Rudy Giuliani was kicked off the Iraq Study Group because he never showed up for meetings:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-usrudy0619,0,7996765.story?wc

[No To Rudy]

Rudy Giuliani was the only candidate not invited to speak to the Firefighters presidential Forum:

http://firefightingnews.com/article-US.cfm?articleID=27125

[No To Rudy]

Rudy Giuliani is worse than Bush:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/14952564/giuliani_worse_than_bush

No to nonsense.
RUDY FOR PRESIDENT.

He can clean up the USA like he cleaned up New Y0rk.

[Zhombre]

The left hates Rudy. That's a good sign. When the NY Times, Rolling Stone and Village Voice are against you, you must be doing something right.

[Sean]

Ron Paul is the only republican that can beat Hillary. Without our votes rudy would lose. Join Ron Paul in Restoring thw Republic!!!

[agatha]

Noteworthy that the SPT's first stab at its cynical "Politifact" feature is totally flawed and does not support its conclusion. The arrogrance of Editor Neil Brown is a slap in the face of every subscriber, regardless of political philosophy.

Stop with Ron Paul! Few have heard of him. Others think he is a Beatle from the 60's.

Even New Yorkers who don't like Rudy know he reduced crime. The St. Pete Times investigation is being laughed at:
http://media.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NGRhYTYxMjIwMTUyNDkwMDU3MzhlZjQxMmVmMGY1ZmY=

I remember pre-Rudy New York well. You were warned not to make eye contact with people on the street. Homeless people urinated and defecated on the sidewalks. You had to walk with your purse over your head to protect from purse snatchers. After Rudy took office it was a completely different place. It was like going from night to day. He definitely delivered on his promises.

Rolling Stone. Who gives flying flip what they think?

[wig ghetz]

Is this the brand of journalism they taught Neil Brown at the Poynter Institute? The best use for the SPT is a wrap for the faux grouper served in Pinellas restaurants.