In regard to people intending to visit large American cities, I think the capability of visitors from distant places to be informed and wary of pitfalls has bolted upward in recent years. An internet didn't exist for most people back in the mid '80s when I visited. Even guidebooks back then rarely mentioned dangerous areas or situations. It's now possible to effectively investigate countless facets of big American cities, and many other places in the world. With minuscule effort.
I've travelled a lot since my trip the NYC, over sizable area of the Earth, without problems. Rick Steve's modern guidebooks help, even beyond what's easy to get from the internet.
