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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Newton, located in New Jersey, presents an interesting case study in property crime trends. From 2010 to 2022, the city experienced a significant decrease in total property crimes, falling from 142 to 44 incidents, representing a 69% reduction. This decline occurred alongside a relatively stable population, which grew slightly from 8,371 in 2010 to 8,370 in 2022, indicating a mere 0.01% decrease.
Burglary rates in the city have shown a substantial decline over the years. In 2010, there were 22 burglaries, which decreased to just 1 in 2022, marking a 95.5% reduction. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate dropped from 2.63 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 0.12 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated over time, peaking at 0.23% in 2016 before dropping to 0.02% in 2022. This significant decrease suggests improved home security measures or more effective law enforcement strategies in preventing burglaries.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, also saw a considerable decrease. Incidents fell from 119 in 2010 to 43 in 2022, a 63.9% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 14.22 in 2010 to 5.14 in 2022. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft cases dropped from 0.25% in 2010 to 0.12% in 2022. This decline could indicate improved retail security, increased community vigilance, or changes in local economic conditions affecting opportunistic theft.
Motor vehicle theft in the city has remained relatively low throughout the period. There was 1 incident in 2010, which remained the same or fluctuated slightly in subsequent years, with no reported cases in 2022. The highest number recorded was 6 in 2016. The rate per 1,000 residents ranged from 0.12 in 2010 to 0 in 2022. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts remained consistently low, never exceeding 0.09% (in 2016). This suggests that motor vehicle theft is not a significant issue in the city, possibly due to its suburban nature or effective deterrence measures.
Arson cases in the city have been sporadic and infrequent. There were no reported cases in most years, with occasional incidents (1 or 2 cases) in some years. The highest percentage of state arsons was 0.9% in 2016, corresponding to 2 incidents. The rate per 1,000 residents never exceeded 0.24 (in 2016). The low and inconsistent nature of arson cases makes it difficult to establish a clear trend, but it indicates that arson is not a persistent problem in the city.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a strong inverse relationship between median income and property crime rates. As median income increased from $65,461 in 2013 to $80,064 in 2022, total property crimes decreased from 106 to 44. This suggests that improving economic conditions may contribute to reduced property crime rates. Additionally, there's a noticeable correlation between the percentage of owner-occupied housing and property crime rates. As owner occupancy increased from 50% in 2013 to 57% in 2022, property crimes decreased, potentially indicating that higher rates of homeownership contribute to community stability and reduced crime.
Applying predictive models based on the observed trends, it's projected that property crime rates will continue to decrease over the next five years (up to 2029). Total property crimes could potentially drop to around 30 incidents per year, with larceny-theft remaining the most common but decreasing to approximately 25 cases annually. Burglaries might become even rarer, potentially averaging 1-2 cases per year. Motor vehicle theft and arson are likely to remain at very low levels, with 0-1 incidents per year for each category.
In conclusion, Newton has demonstrated a remarkable improvement in its property crime situation over the past decade. The significant reductions across all categories of property crime, particularly in burglary and larceny-theft, coupled with rising median incomes and homeownership rates, paint a picture of a community that has become safer and more economically stable. These trends, if continued, suggest a positive outlook for the city's safety and quality of life in the coming years.