Law Enforcement
“The Williamsburg Effect,” can only occur once gentrification is in full effect. Since the hipsters have become the majority and “are confident and educated, [it] means they have the potential to hijack the jury.” This dramatic shift in demographics changes the entire dynamic of the courts. The jury is now much more trusting of the police because they have never experienced “police officers throwing them against cars and searching them. A person who just moves here from Wisconsin or Wyoming, they can’t relate to [that]. It doesn’t sound credible to them.” This of course means that there is less anti-police sentiment and with people who don’t believe that the “[plaintiffs] should be awarded millions of dollars for nothing” (http://nypost.com/2014/06/16/brooklyn-gentrification-is-changing-juries-who-decide-cases/).
In gentrifying neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, New York, lower-middle class families are displaced from their homes, with wealthy and upper-middle class families taking their place(in this case, hipsters) . The lower-middle class families generally move to surrounding areas, while the wealthy move into the neighborhood’s newly renovated housing complexes and lofts. The process of gentrification involves rising prices and an elevated class status.
One category usually unspoken about during the transition is how gentrification has an impact on local law enforcement. With the influx of wealthier people, we would typically expect an overall decrease in the amount of crime within the neighborhood. Crimes such as murder, rape, and assaults would generally expected to decline drastically. However, according to Mischa-von-Derek Aikman, in her article “Gentrification’s Effect on Crime” “displacement can contribute to an environment conducive to increased crime.” Some of the crimes she argues that can increase are robbery, burglary, and grand larceny. She argues that since the displaced may be “evicted” from their properties, it can create social conflict between the new, rich tenants and the displaced, poor ones. To prove whether this statement holds true in Williamsburg, I spoke to a police officer at the local 90th precinct, which deals with Williamsburg and its immediate areas.
Q: When would you say gentrification first started happening in Williamsburg?
A: I don’t know, maybe in 2004 or so. That was when the housing prices really started to rise.
Q: In the meantime, do you feel like there have been more attacks on the wealthy?
A: I don’t know, how can we determine whether one is wealthy? We have no of knowing.
Q: I guess another way to ask is have you noticed an increase in crime in the meantime, particularly in terms of robbery or burglary?
A: Like I said, we cant really determine who’s wealthy or not, and I don’t really think robbers care about wealth. You see that phone in your hand, a robber will just snatch it from you but how can he tell if you’re wealthy?
Q: So in general, you wouldn’t say crime has increased?
A: No, I think it’s decreased actually, and I think that’s for all over New York. Listen if you need more information and want to see the statistics, just log on to www.nyc.gov/nypd and search the 90th precinct.
Q: Ok thank you officer, have a great day.
A: Likewise.
As we can see by the officer’s statement, the argument that Aikman makes about gentrification creating an environment conducive to crime might not entirely be justified. Granted, because Williamsburg is only one neighborhood, we cannot ignore this assumption either. However, judging by the interviews we conducted not only with the officer, but also with Williamsburg, they all claim that the neighborhood is “safe.”
Curiously enough, my sister conducted an interview with a woman from Alphabet City last year for an article on gentrification. The woman said that “petty crimes such as loitering, noise complaints, and drunk/disorderly behavior increased because many late night bars and restaurants were opened in the neighborhood.” Alphabet City and Williamsburg thus can be compared seeing as how Williamsburg has a thriving nightlife as well. In addition, Williamsburg is home to many young, relatively “wealthy” hipsters that engage in multiple forms of social activities.
The statistics show that since 2001 (roughly around the time the officer said he noticed gentrification first starting to take place), crime rates have dropped in nearly every category and are pretty much in congruence with what the officer said. The statistics show that since 2001, both robbery and burglary, the two crimes that Aikman argues can increase in gentrified neighborhoods, have dropped 50.1% and 30.2% respectively. Additionally, if we compare the two-year change rate, robbery has decreased but burglary has increased. Like the officer said, this increase may not have to deal with the effect of the rich moving in, especially since the Marcy Housing projects are nearby and are included in the precinct. Gentrification additionally causes higher housing prices, which in effect create a bigger police presence to patrol the neighborhoods.
