I wonder how much crime there really is in Jersey City, I say this because the younger generation 13-25 are alot less likley to report crimes they witness or are victims of. With youth crime up I wonder if it is worst then the reports indicate since the risk is higher for young men and teens to be victims of crime. We here all these reports of wolfpacks of kids I wonder how many people are victims of this that dont report the crimes against them. Todays generation of teens has no snitching mentality so I wonder how much this effects stats.

That reported rapes are not going down doesn't mean that rapes are going up. Aren't women being encouraged to report rapes, rather than blaming themselves or suffering in silence in situations of spousal/partner abuse.

I really think rape stats need much more analysis than the others that are reported.

Juvenile crimes, and arrests, in Jersey City way up
Thursday, November 16, 2006
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City police are monitoring a dramatic spike in juvenile crime over the past two months.

"We have seen an increase that is concerning me, and through COMPSTAT we have been better able to put our resources where we can attempt to deal with it," said Police Chief Tom Comey, referring to the department's computerized crime tracking system.

There were 144 juvenile arrests in the city last month, compared to only 76 in the same period last year, Capt. Hugh Donaghue said, and 102 juvenile arrests in September, compared to only 57 during that period in 2005.

The numbers from August and July, on the other hand, are only up slightly from the previous year: There were 79 juveniles arrested this August, compared to 77 last year, and 82 in July, compared to 74 in 2005.

Comey said the department has given the Juvenile Bureau a more active role in investigations, focused on school and crime "hot spots." He said police also are working with the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's head of juvenile prosecutions to try to keep juvenile arrests from being a "revolving door."

A number of recent incidents illustrate the recent surge in criminal activity by young people.

On Nov. 6 at 6 p.m., plainclothes officers said they spotted a group of about 10 boys wearing ski masks standing at the corner of Grant and West Side avenues. Police followed them until they surrounded and attacked a 14-year-old boy, knocking him to the ground and searching his pockets. The boys ran when the cops intervened, but they caught and arrested a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old on robbery charges, reports said.

And on Nov. 4, police arrested a 13-year-old boy who had mugged another boy, and in another incident found three teenagers who'd been shot in the legs during a fight at Atlantic Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

But statistics show most types of crime are down in Jersey City, Donaghue said.

From January to September, there were 4,328 violent incidents reported in Jersey City, compared to 4,528 in 2005, Donaghue said.

Over that same period, homicides are down 23 percent, robberies are down 5 percent and assaults are down 5 percent. Of nonviolent crimes, burglary is down 23 percent, theft is down 4 percent and auto theft is down 20 percent, police statistics show.

I agree -- who doesn't want a safer Jersey City -- at least the numbers are going in the right direction!

And 20 murders for all of Jersey City (none downtown) really beats 38 murders (or whatever it was last year this time)

I can feel the difference downtown! It is GOOD! But sure lets get it as safe as Manhattan!

I'm serious.

Figure about 270 days in nine monthes.

This works out to what, and average of 11 assaults a day?

Quote:

What a shocker!

I know things will never be perfect but I for one am not jumping for joy that "only" 3,058 assaults were committed, we "only" had 20 homicides, and there were "only" 1,183 instances of auto theft.

The rape stat is disturbing, indicative of a trend which I do not like to see. Particularly given the nature of rape, which is historically under-reported by victims.

Quote:

Crime down in all categories except rape

Some politicians heartened, others skeptical after stats released for first nine months of 2006

Ricardo Kaulessar -- Hudson Reporter -- 11/10/2006

During a press conference to announce a new emergency services communications center on Monday (see story in Hudson Reporter - http://www.hudsonreporter.com), the city announced that most violent and non-violent crime statistics in Jersey City were down during the first nine months of this year, compared with the same period last year.

From January through September 2006, there were 20 homicides, compared to 26 in 2005. That represents a 23 percent decrease.

Assaults were down from 3,257 last year to 3,058 this year, and robberies are down from 1,147 to 1,211. Both of those categories represent a 5 percent decrease.

However, rape is up from 34 last year to 51 this year. In the non-violent crime category, burglary went down 23 percent, auto theft 20 percent and larceny theft down 4 percent.

Police Chief Thomas Comey hailed the decreases as the result of active patrolling by the police.

"We are getting more police on the streets in the police cars and on bikes," said Comey. "And we are hitting hot spots hard and will continue to do so as long as we have Compstat." Compstat is a police management system that has been in operation in the Jersey City Police Department since March, with the commanders of the city's four districts continually meeting with top brass.

Comey went to say that he was "not completely satisfied and wanted crime numbers go down further" and that the police will be seeing 45 new officers in December.

When asked why rape had increased, Comey said he would talk to the Sex Crimes unit for more details, but could not be reached for a followup by press time.

The announcement came on the heels of the city's most recent homicide on the afternoon of Oct. 29 in Jersey City Heights, when shopkeeper Fidelina Claros was killed during a botched robbery of her deli.

Reactions

Not everyone was immediately excited by the statistics last week.

City Councilman Viola Richardson, a former Jersey City police officer, was skeptical.

"I need to study these numbers further, but I find hard it to believe that crime has gone down, said Richardson, as she cited a triple shooting that occurred at the intersection of Union Street and Martin Luther King Drive three days before the groundbreaking.

And what do the residents of Jersey City think about crime in their town?

Pam is a Downtown Jersey City resident and is a member of Downtown Jersey City Watch, a grassroots organization made up of downtown residents who have all been victims of crime. They patrol various Downtown streets with the help of the Guardian Angels.

Pam said she was only made aware of the decreases in crime announced by the police after speaking to the Jersey City Reporter. But she said she hoped those numbers would be broken down further to show the numbers in each of the city's six wards.

Pam bases her belief on what her fellow Downtown Jersey City Watch members have been seeking as they have been given stats verbally by the police at their monthly meetings but "not in writing."

"If there true decrease in crime, we would like to see exactly where the decreases such as in various areas of Downtown and a breakdown of how many robberies occurred in Harsimus Cove in January as opposed to August," said Pam.

She also said she knew of some members "who will say there is an increase in crime, and some who will say there is a decrease."

But Pam did acknowledge she has seen an increased police presence in her neighborhood when going out on patrols with fellow members.

Fellow Downtown resident Dale Hardman also echoed Pam's sentiments in asking for exact numbers.

Hardman said in an e-mail, "I hope that the release of crime stats for January-September 2006 will be made available to the DJCW in detailed form showing stats for the East District by each of the [district's] Zones 1 through 6, and that comparable stats for Jan-September 2005 will be released for all incidents reported as well."

Hardman said that both himself and City Councilman Steven Fulop have asked for the same breakdown of crime numbers.

Lavern Webb Washington, a lifelong city resident, was dismissive. Washington is a constant presence at City Council meetings where echoes the same refrain: "We need jobs and recreation!"

She said there has been a significant uptick in crime especially amongst young people because there are few jobs and other opportunities to get them off the streets. She also heads the Randolph Avenue and Harmon Street Block Association.

"There's still killings, there's still kids hanging out on street corners," said Washington. "There are 10, 15 people calling me everyday saying 'Can you find me any jobs?' "

Politicians want more than just numbers

Both Fulop and City Council President Mariano Vega agreed that there was progress in terms of the police fighting crime, but said they wanted more.

Fulop said he was impressed with Comey being more proactive than his predecessor, but that "crime numbers are still too high."

"I can say there is definitely a police presence and it is welcome by the community, but there's still a lot of work that has to be done on stopping robberies," said Fulop. "I wouldn't say it is a success but there is movement in the right direction. The numbers are still too high."

Vega's wife Sonia was the victim of a mugging earlier this year. But he was heartened by the results.

"I have no reason to doubt the numbers," he said. "Our police force is professional law enforcement, and I don't think it would be in their best interest to give false numbers, and I hope the numbers continue to go down," said Vega.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

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The hard numbers

The crime stats released by the Jersey City Police Department was culled from incidents reported during the period of January-September 2006 and then submitted to the State Police for verification. They are compared to the numbers from January-September 2005.

Homicides: 26 - 2005; 20 - 2006

Robbery: 1211 - 2005; 1147 - 2006

Assault: 3257 - 2005; 3058 - 2006

Rape: 34 - 2005: 51 - 2006

Burglary: 1687 - 2005: 1304 - 2006

Larceny: 3497 - 2005; 3359 - 2006

Auto Theft: 1475 - 2005; 1183 - 2006