Pubdate: Fri, 31 Aug 2001
Source: Bergen Record (NJ)
Copyright: 2001 Bergen Record Corp.
Contact:  http://www.bergen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/44
Author: Wendy Ruderman

NEW JERSEY CRIME DIPS TO 29-YEAR LOW

Crime declined again in New Jersey last year and dipped to its lowest level 
in nearly 30 years, according to a report released Thursday.

"As today's statistics demonstrate, New Jersey continues to be a safer 
place to live and work," acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco said in a statement.

DiFrancesco attributed the dwindling crime to good police work and tougher 
sentencing laws, while law enforcement officials credited better police 
training, advances in crime-fighting technology, community outreach, and 
bicycle patrols.

Overall, crime dropped 8 percent in Bergen County, 6 percent in Passaic 
County, and 1 percent in Morris County, although crime more than doubled in 
Little Ferry, and increased by 30 percent or more in the northern Bergen 
towns of Park Ridge, Harrington Park, Allendale, Hillsdale, Northvale, and 
Upper Saddle River.

Although the 4 percent drop in crime last year continued a downward trend, 
the falloff was not as dramatic as in 1999, when crime decreased by 11 
percent statewide in the midst of a strong economy. Last year, crime was at 
its lowest since 1972, officials said.

"It would be very unrealistic to expect to see the magnitude of the 
declines we've seen in recent years continue indefinitely," said Mercer 
Sullivan, a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers 
University in Newark.

Sullivan said the reason for the nationwide drop in crime in recent years 
is difficult to pinpoint, but he cited the hiring of more police officers, 
a robust economy, low unemployment, and the overall aging of the population.

But, Sullivan said, the single biggest contributor to the near decade- long 
decrease in crime is waning crack cocaine use, which surged in the 1980s 
and began to taper off in the early 1990s. Crack cocaine use often 
contributes to violent crime, Sullivan said.

Arrests for selling or using drugs decreased slightly last year, but more 
than 51 percent of the 57,806 arrests involved cocaine, opium, or some form 
of the two drugs. Marijuana and hashish were connected to 42 percent of 
arrests, according to the report.

Although law enforcement officials last year promised to clamp down on 
people who sell and abuse so-called club drugs, such as Ecstasy, only 2 
percent of arrests last year were connected to that type of drug.

The news was mostly good, but some pockets of the state saw a drastic 
increase in crime. For instance, crime more than doubled in Little Ferry, 
with 130 more crimes in 2000 than in 1999 and a striking jump in theft.

Little Ferry police Lt. Ralph Verdi said transients traveling through the 
11,000-resident town, which is bisected by Route 46, are responsible for 
much of the increase. He also cited an increase in the town's population 
and more willingness by residents to report crimes.

Other problems included an 11 percent increase in carjackings and a 5 
percent jump in bias crimes, criminal acts directed at certain races and 
ethnic groups. African-Americans and Jews constituted 70 percent of bias 
crime victims. Bergen County had the largest number of bias crimes.

"An increase is always a cause for concern," said Shai Goldstein, director 
of the state Anti-Defamation League. "But the upside is, county prosecutors 
and municipal police officers are doing a better job every year in dealing 
with bias crimes."

Statewide, violent crime, including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated 
assault, decreased for the seventh straight year.

But 10 counties, including Passaic and Morris, experienced an increase in 
violent crime.

Passaic County Prosecutor Boris Moczula said the 10 percent jump in violent 
crime is a cause for some concern. He suspected the rise in murders, 
burglary, and aggravated assault stemmed from gangs.

"I'm beginning to wonder whether this is the first reflection of an 
increase in gang activity," Moczula said. "We'll be taking a look at that."

In Bergen County, the decrease in violent crime was miniscule: Three fewer 
incidents last year over 1999. Bergen County Prosecutor William H. Schmidt 
asked for a day to study the statistics before commenting.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart