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Property Crime Trends in Camden, New Jersey: A City Grappling with Arson
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Camden, located in New Jersey, has experienced significant changes in property crime rates over recent years. From 2010 to 2012, the total number of property crimes increased by 14.49%, rising from 3,500 to 4,007 incidents. During this same period, the city's population decreased slightly by 0.12%, from 77,331 to 77,235 residents.
Burglary trends in the city show a fluctuating pattern. In 2010, there were 1,015 burglaries, which increased to 1,436 in 2011, a 41.48% rise. However, by 2012, burglaries decreased to 1,089, a 24.16% drop from the previous year. When considering population trends, the burglary rate per 1,000 people increased from 13.13 in 2010 to 14.10 in 2012. The city's share of state burglaries also fluctuated, starting at 5.88% in 2010, peaking at 7.27% in 2011, and then decreasing to 5.72% in 2012. This suggests that while burglary rates were volatile, they remained a significant concern for the city relative to the state.
Larceny theft incidents showed an upward trend during the observed period. In 2010, there were 1,966 cases, which increased to 2,226 in 2011 and remained relatively stable at 2,214 in 2012. This represents a 12.61% increase from 2010 to 2012. The rate per 1,000 people rose from 25.42 in 2010 to 28.66 in 2012. The city's contribution to state larceny theft cases also increased from 4.15% in 2010 to 4.79% in 2012, indicating that larceny theft became a more prominent issue in the city compared to the rest of the state.
Motor vehicle theft exhibited a significant increase over the three-year period. In 2010, there were 519 cases, which rose to 800 in 2011 and then slightly decreased to 704 in 2012. This represents a 35.65% increase from 2010 to 2012. The rate per 1,000 people increased from 6.71 in 2010 to 9.11 in 2012. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts also rose from 5.24% in 2010 to 6.61% in 2012, indicating that this crime became a more significant issue for the city relative to the state.
Arson cases in the city showed a concerning upward trend. In 2010, there were 91 arson incidents, which increased to 136 in 2011 before slightly decreasing to 109 in 2012. This represents a 19.78% increase from 2010 to 2012. The arson rate per 1,000 people rose from 1.18 in 2010 to 1.41 in 2012. Most notably, the city's contribution to state arson cases increased dramatically from 20.09% in 2010 to 29.30% in 2012, indicating that arson became a disproportionately severe problem in the city compared to the rest of the state.
There appears to be a strong correlation between property crime trends and median income in the city. As median income increased from $22,043 in 2013 to $37,075 in 2022, there was a general decrease in property crime rates. This suggests that improving economic conditions may have contributed to reduced property crime incidents.
Applying predictive models based on the observed trends, it is forecasted that by 2029, property crime rates in the city may continue to decrease if economic improvements persist. However, specific areas like motor vehicle theft and arson may require targeted interventions to address their disproportionate impact on the city's crime statistics.
In summary, Camden has experienced complex shifts in property crime patterns from 2010 to 2012. While some categories like burglary showed fluctuations, others like larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and especially arson demonstrated concerning increases. The city's disproportionate contribution to state arson cases is particularly noteworthy. These trends, coupled with demographic and economic changes, underscore the need for tailored crime prevention strategies to address the specific challenges faced by the community.
