Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Arrests Up for Public Drinking, Peeing: Is There A Connection?


By

John Del Signore

Published Apr 7, 2009

Modified Apr 7, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

John Del Signore

Published Apr 7, 2009

Modified Apr 7, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

The NYPD recently released its summons counts for the seven most common "quality-of-life" violations, and for the past two years, the overall totals have been the highest on record, surpassing 500,000 "quality-of-life crimes" in '07 and '08. The Post reports that last year the number of summonses for drinking in public increased by more than 4,000 (from 66,885 cases to 70,948) from July 1st through December 31st, compared with the same period in 2007. And it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to get why more people were also busted for public urination during the same time period, up from 3,888 to 4,161. More stats: disorderly conduct arrests during that time dropped from 47,730 to 43,018, marijuana possession busts declined from 4,775 to 4,107, and littering violations were down from 3,216 to 2,901. And the Post says you've got the Post to thank for a recent NYPD crackdown on "quality-of-life" crimes; the tabloid says cops turned up the heat on misdemeanors after the Post reported fewer summonses for minor offenses in 2008 than in 2007.

Tagged

crackdown

nypd

quality of life


John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags

Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Oct 19, 2026 at 6:07 p.m. ET


MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says

In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."

By

Stephen Nessen

News

MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says

In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."

By

Stephen Nessen


High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial

By

David Brand

Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits

By

Caroline Lewis

Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence

By

Ramsey Khalifeh


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .