September 18, 2013
NJ Spotlight takes a look at crime in New Jersey’s urban centers and the numbers don’t look good. Here’s what they found:
Each of the six cities designated by the state police Uniform Crime Report as “major urban” — Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, and Trenton — reduced the number of officers on its payroll between 2010 and 2011, which is the last year for which statewide figures are available. Four of those cities — Camden, Newark, Paterson, and Trenton — saw a reduction of more than 100 police officers and together account for one of every four police cut. Three of them — Camden, Newark and Trenton — also saw an increase in violent crime during the same period, while the six taken together saw a 6 percent increase in violent crimes and an 8.5 percent increase in murders.
Click here for the full story from NJ Spotlight.
And be sure to read about the Community Foundation’s work with donors to create Gun Buyback Programs in their communities. We’ve had some great successes in this area and look forward to partnering with you to bring similar programs to your neighborhood. Call us at 973-267-5533.