The people who were arrested jumping turnstiles and panhandling were the same ones who weren't being caught for more serious crimes. Serious crime didn't drop because its perpetrators got the word, it dropped because its perpetrators were in jail.
But as the old saying has it, "word of mouth is the best salesman". All criminals spread the word among themselves. And some who were arrested on lesser offenses were soon found to have a "rap sheet" that involved more serious crimes. Most criminals are "street smart" and the word quickly got around that a new regime was in town.
Yeah, actually that's true. NYPD bagged a serial murderer jumping a turnstile, and when they printed him the prints came up radioactive. "Hey there sonny, you thought you had a misdemeanor problem, now the nice folks from Homicide want to talk to you. Tell your mom to forget the bail money and bring you your toothbrush instead."
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F