Overall Crime Rate In Newark Drops In 2016

NEWARK, NJ – City officials announced that the crime rate in Newark has reduced to its lowest point since 1967.

The crime rate report was made public on Tuesday which showed the reduction. It can be seen that the crime rate decreased 13 percent in 2016 as compared to the rate recorded in 2015. The crime rate is low as compared to every year since 1967.

According to Mayor Ras Baraka, “As crime has increased in most major New Jersey cities, Newark saw a decrease. With our increases in police manpower, deployment of new technologies and the growing involvement and cooperation of community members with the police, we are well positioned to see further decreases in crime next year.”

Statistics show that 9,065 crime incidents happened in 2016 and the rate was higher in 2015 as 10,368 incidents occurred that year.

Here is the reduction list for different crimes:

• Auto theft reduced 16 percent as compared to 2015
• The crime of burglary reduced 23 percent as compared to 2015
• Robbery incidents decreased 23 percent
• Murder crime rate decreased 10 percent, 103 individuals were murdered in 2015 and the rate reduced to 93 in 2016
• Nonfatal shooting incidents reduced 21 percent. The number of victims were 322 in 2015 which reduced to 254 in 2016

The only crime category with increased incidents was aggravated assault and the rate was raised 10 percent. 1,020 incidents of assault happened in 2015 which increased to 1,126 in 2016.

According to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, “I’m very pleased to report that we have made progress. I attribute this successful outcome to several factors… These include the hard work of our Shooting Response Team, which lead to 68 less shootings, use of our Shot Spotter technology, the graduation of 80 officers from the police academy and assigning them to hot spots, and the increased deployment of our Clergy Alliance.”

It is said that the residents of the area and those who were victims don’t think that the city is safe even after the statistics proved that the crime rate reduced.

One of the residents of Newark said, “Are you serious? You just can’t be. Two days ago, my son got hit over the head with a gun and robbed for his iPhone. My home got broken into twice and no solution.”

The year 2015 ended with 105 murders, which estimated 37 homicides per 100,000 individuals. The crime rate in Hudson is less; the rate of homicides is estimated 4 per 100,000 individuals. The total number of homicides that happened in 2015 in Hudson was 348, it is a place where 8.5 million individuals live.

According to another person who lives in Newark, “These seemingly minimal reductions are hardly caused for a victory lap to say the least. Yes any small reduction is seemingly a huge gain. But I don’t see where the mayor or city officials need to be patting themselves on the back. These reductions are mediocre at best. I’m still quite alarmed by the number of offenses that happened.”

Source: www.patch.com