NCJ Number
52173
Date Published
1977
Length
171 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ON CRIME INCIDENCE, CRIME RATES, ARRESTS, DISPOSITIONS OF PERSONS CHARGED, AND VICTIMIZATION ARE PRESENTED IN A REPORT GENERATED BY NEW JERSEY'S UNIFORM CRIME-REPORTING SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE REPORT OPENS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE REPORTING SYSTEM, REPORTING METHODS, AND OFFENSE CLASSIFICATIONS. FACTORS INFLUENCING CRIME IN NEW JERSEY ARE DISCUSSED, AND PROFILES OF THE STATE AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE STATE ARE PRESENTED. SUMMARY DATA -- INCIDENCE, RATES, CLEARANCES -- ARE PRESENTED FOR INDEX CRIMES, AND COMPARISONS ARE DRAWN WITH PREVIOUS YEARS. TABLES, CHARTS, AND GRAPHS PRESENT DATA ON SPECIFIC OFFENSES, SUCH AS MURDER, FORCIBLE RAPE, ROBBERY, ATROCIOUS ASSAULT, BREAKING AND ENTERING, LARCENY, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT. THESE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY NARRATIVE SUMMARIES. ALSO INCLUDED ARE STATE ARREST DATA, STATISTICS ON THE DISPOSITION OF PERSONS FORMALLY CHARGED, AND BREAKDOWNS OF CRIME STATISTICS BY COUNTY, BY MUNICIPALITY, AND BY URBAN, SURBURBAN, AND RURAL GROUPS. OTHER STATISTICS RELATE TO VICTIMIZATION, CRIMES ON UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE CAMPUSES, ASSAULTS ON POLICE OFFICERS, AND COMPOSITION OF THE POLICE FORCE. THE REPORT SHOWS A 6-PERCENT DECREASE IN INDEX OFFENSES FROM 1976 TO 1977. VIOLENT CRIME DECLINED 2 PERCENT, NONVIOLENT CRIME 6 PERCENT. LARCENY AND BREAKING AND ENTERING ACCOUNTED FOR 82 PERCENT OF THE STATE'S SERIOUS CRIME. OF ALL INDEX OFFENSES CLEARED, 39 PERCENT INVOLVED PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, THE LARGEST JUVENILE INVOLVEMENT EVER RECORDED IN NEW JERSEY. FROM 1973 THROUGH 1977, RURAL CRIME INCREASED 51 PERCENT, SUBURBAN CRIME 42 PERCENT, AND URBAN CRIME 13 PERCENT. THERE WAS A 3 PERCENT DECREASE IN NUMBER ARRESTS FROM 1976 TO 1977. ADULTS ACCOUNTED FOR 80 PERCENT OF ALL VIOLENT CRIME ARRESTS, JUVENILES FOR 55 PERCENT OF ALL NONVIOLENT CRIME ARRESTS. FOUR OF EVERY 10 PERSONS ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY AND 6 OF EVERY 10 PERSONS ARRESTED FOR BREAKING AND ENTERING WERE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE. NEARLY 22 PERCENT OF ALL MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS WERE ASSAULTED DURING 1977. PERSONS AGED 60 AND OVER WERE THE VICTIMS IN 22 PERCENT OF ALL STRONG ARM ROBBERIES REPORTED FROM AUGUST THROUGH DECEMBER 1977, AND 25 PERCENT OF ALL PURSE-SNATCHING VICTIMS DURING THIS PERIOD WERE 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. (LKM)