There was another factor, meanwhile, that had greatly contributed to the massive crime drop of the 1990s.
The crime drop has accompanied a surge in subway ridership.
And one of the big reasons for the crime drop - maybe the biggest - was a huge expansion of the police force.
And chronic structural problems didn't short-circuit the crime drop either.
When he fights, it has been said, the streets clear, crime drops and people gather around their televisions.
The sudden and precipitous crime drop in the 1990's took everyone by surprise.
He is credited with much of the city's crime drop.
The federal government has responded by saying its use of National Guard troops on the streets is the real reason for the crime drop.
Other cities saw their crime drop in the same period.
Although politicians and the police took credit, the crime drop was probably due mostly to the Supreme Court.