Irrational compassion breeds devolution

EXCLUSIVE: Post-pandemic New York City is laid bare as homelessness, mental illness and crime escalate and rattled locals and tourists alike believe the town 'has lost its essence' while city cheerleaders insist 'the ship has turned'

• Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show an influx of homeless people on the streets as Manhattan struggles to get back on its feet after the coronavirus pandemic cut off its lifeline of tourism 
• The pandemic upped the ante on homelessness, mental illness and crime - particularly random assaults and stabbings as homeless men and women are seen strung out on the streets 
• In 2021, almost every type of violent crime is on the rise in New York City
• According to recent figures from Compstat, the NYPD's data gathering unit, crime is up 30 percent city wide 
• Still, city officials are optimistic, 'The ship has turned. We are headed towards recovery,' Chris Heywood of NYC&Company, the city's official tourism organization, told DailyMail.com 
• A Times Square business owner said, 'There's a lot more crime and a lot more drug addicts and vagrants everywhere. In the last three months, I've seen three or four people shooting up right in front of me'
• A cop patrolling the area told DailyMail.com, 'Times Square has lost its essence. People come here now and just sit'