The safety of New Yorkers on the subway has been a topic of discussion for years, with two recent incidents bringing the issue to the forefront once again. Lenore Skenazy, known as “America’s Worst Mom” in 2008 for allowing her 9-year-old son to ride the subway alone, and Daniel Penny, who restrained a repeat offender in a headlock that resulted in the offender’s death, have both raised questions about the safety of vulnerable individuals in the city.
Skenazy’s decision to let her son ride the subway alone was a controversial one, but she believed in the importance of teaching children independence. The subway has long been seen as a symbol of freedom and opportunity for kids and parents in the city, allowing them to explore and grow without constant supervision.
However, trust in public order is essential for this freedom to exist. During the peak of Skenazy’s fame, subway crime was at a record low, thanks in part to the “broken windows” policing approach implemented by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and continued by Michael Bloomberg. This approach targeted low-level crimes to maintain public peace and prevent more serious offenses from occurring.
Unfortunately, this approach was abandoned under Mayor Bill de Blasio, leading to an increase in disorder and violence in the subway system. Felony assaults tripled between 2009 and 2023, even as ridership declined. The lack of proactive policing created a sense of lawlessness that made incidents like Daniel Penny’s intervention with Jordan Neely necessary.
Penny’s actions, while heroic, highlight the failure of city leadership to create a safe environment for all New Yorkers. However, there is hope on the horizon, with the NYPD launching a new Quality-of-Life Division to crack down on low-level offenses and improve subway safety. Progress is being made, but there is still work to be done to address the underlying issues of disorder and crime that affect riders daily.
To truly create a safe and free environment for children and families in New York City, a return to the principles of public safety that were successful in the past is necessary. By prioritizing order and enforcing the law, the city can once again become a place where kids can explore and grow with confidence, just as Lenore Skenazy envisioned all those years ago.
