Long Island: Crime in the Suburbs

Newsday has an interesting history of crime on Long Island posted on their web site ("Crime in the Suburbs: A deadly parade of violence brings pain to peaceful neighborhoods" by Tom Demoretcky):

For the postwar generation of baby boomers and their parents, Long Island was seen largely as a refuge, away from the big city and, of course, away from crime. "I never thought anything like that would happen here," reporters covering crimes would often hear. "That's why we left the city."

But in the past 25 years, the quiet suburbs have spawned enough murder and mayhem to keep both prosecutors and movie-of-the-week producers busy. From Colin Ferguson's horrific slaughter of commuters on the Long Island Rail Road to the antics of Joey Buttafuoco and Amy Fisher, local crime has often become national news -- and network entertainment.

More here.