New Jersey Uniform Crime Report for First Six Months in 2006 Shows Total Number of Crime Incidents up Slightly

Violent Crime Rate up 3 Percent

April 20, 2007 -- Trenton, N.J. – New Jersey Attorney General Stuart Rabner today released the New Jersey Uniform Crime Report for the first six months of 2006 which shows a slight increase of less than one-half of one percent in the total number of offenses reported to police compared to the same January through June period in 2005.

The overall statewide Crime Index total increased from 109,442 offenses reported to 109,983 offenses.

The number of murders dropped six percent from 196 to 185, compared to the first six months of 2005, but overall violent crime – murders, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault -- increased 3 percent. Nonviolent crime – burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft – increased by less than one half of one percent.

The number of reported rapes was up a total of three incidents from 607 to 610, compared to a year earlier, but robbery jumped 7 percent and aggravated assault increased 1 percent.

Burglary increased 2 percent, and larceny increased 1 percent, but the number of reported motor vehicle thefts decreased 7 percent.

The Uniform Crime Report is prepared by the State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Unit based on information provided by municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies. The latest report records offenses from January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006.

The number of bias incidents reported to police increased substantially in the first six months of 2006 compared to the first half of 2005, rising from 350 to 441, an increase of 26 percent. Reports of bias incidents more than doubled in Monmouth County from 60 to 125 and in Bergen County from 19 to 41.

The number of reported arsons jumped 18 percent from 665 reported incidents to 785.

Domestic violence reports declined slightly, according to the six-month report.

Attorney General Rabner said the release of crime statistics for the first six months of 2006 underscored the fact that law enforcement must remain ever vigilant in the fight against crime. But he said he was particularly concerned about the significant rise in the number of reported bias crimes.

“Our mission is to ensure our laws against hate are enforced, and it is a task we take very seriously,’’ Rabner said. “Hate can corrupt our society just as significantly as the politician on the take, the polluter fouling our air and water, or the criminal who peddles drugs.’’

The 2006 Uniform Crime Report detailing statistics for the full year is due to be released in August.

Source: New Jersey Attorney General

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