Recent statistics have shown an overall drop in New York City’s crime rate—it is at a 30-year low. But the numbers show a surprising development: in some areas with high concentrations of Koreans, the crime rate rapidly increase. In places like Bayside, Queens, which for the past four years experienced an influx of Koreans from Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Woodside, and Sunnyside, the numbers have sky rocketed. Although violent crimes dropped 9.8 percent in the city overall, in Bayside they increased 93.1 percent.

From Jan. 2003 to Dec. 7, 2003, there were 135,435 reported crimes in New York City, compared to last year’s 143,273. Violent crime dropped by 9.8 percent, robberies by 4.5 percent and theft by 7.3 percent. Rates for upper Manhattan were down by 4 percent and for lower Manhattan by 4.3 percent. Statistics for North Brooklyn show a drop of 5.5 percent and for South Brooklyn by 5.7 percent. There was a 5.2 percent decline in the Bronx and a 3.7 percent for Staten Island.

Statistics for Flushing and Bayside, however, show an increase in almost every category of crime. According to numbers from the 111th Precinct, which serves the Bayside area—the second most heavily populated Korean area after Flushing—violent crimes like murder, sexual abuse, theft of property and auto theft have increased. As of Dec. 7, 1,500 cases were reported, 102 more than last year.

While the city as a whole saw a rise in only two of the seven major categories of crime, Bayside experienced a rise in five categories, with a decline in the number of sexual abuse cases and number of auto thefts reported—from 442 to 321. Meanwhile, other areas in Queens have experienced a significant reduction in crime, including the Korean area of North Queens where figures dropped by 7.6 percent. South Queens has seen a 6.92 percent drop.

According to Asian Advisory Committee chairman Adam Kim, “Most of the victims of criminal cases in the Flushing and Bayside areas are Koreans. This seems to indicate that somehow Koreans are being targeted for crimes. Queens precincts, especially the 109th and the 111th, are instructing Koreans in crime prevention, with seminars and campaigns and residents’ meetings, and placing Korean patrolmen on duty where possible. This is necessary because Koreans seem especially unaware or unconcerned with crime prevention and protection, making them easy targets.”