The year 2022 was notable for crime trends in New Jersey, with various changes observed compared to the national averages. Here's an analysis of the current crime statistics.
New Jersey had 18,794 incidents of violent crime in 2022, translating to 202.9 per 100,000 people. In comparison, the national rate stood at 380.3 per 100,000, indicating New Jersey's lower than average violent crime rate.
From 2021 to 2022, violent crime in New Jersey rose by 10.5%, which is higher than the national 1.2% drop.
In 2022, New Jersey recorded 286 murders, equating to a rate of 3.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. The nationwide murder rate was 6.3 per 100,000, showing that New Jersey has a lower murder rate compared to the country overall.
New Jersey had 131,209 property crimes in 2022, which amounts to a rate of 1416.7 per 100,000 residents. The national property crime rate was 1952.8 per 100,000, indicating that New Jersey has a lower property crime rate compared to the national average.
The period from 2021 to 2022 saw New Jersey's property crime rate rise by 27.6%, compared to the national change of 7.1% increase.
In 2022, New Jersey had 14,783 car thefts, marking a 20.8% increase from the previous year. Across the nation, car thefts rose by 10.9%, showing that New Jersey's auto theft trend is higher than the national change.
The data includes a "Crime Score" for New Jersey, which was 10 in 2022, up from 7 in 2021. While we don't have a national comparison for this score, the increase suggests an overall worsening in the state's crime situation.
New Jersey presents a mixed picture when compared to national crime trends. The state has lower rates of violent crime and lower rates of property crime than the national average. However, it faces challenges with a a more significant change in car thefts compared to national trends.
Note that various factors such as changes in reporting, law enforcement tactics, and socioeconomic shifts can impact crime statistics. Hence, these figures should be interpreted within a wider context when evaluating the crime scenario in New Jersey.