Camden today may be a growing city, but it wasn’t always the safest. Camden was once known as the city with the highest crime rates in all of New Jersey. However, times are certainly in the past in this budding New Jersey city. Police have said that the murder rate in Camden has hit a 30-year low. A low murder rate, among other things, is good news for many prospective Camden homeowners; however, many are still skeptical about this decline in crime. Fortunately, the numbers speak for themselves, and many skeptics are unaware of the vast amount of progress made in recent years.
Take a Look at the Numbers
In 2012, the number of murders in the Camden area was already at a historic low of sixty-seven a year. As of 2017, this number has declined significantly dropping to a mere 23 murders, which is good news especially in a city of half a million people. This decline looks even more impressive when viewing national statistics. Currently, the national rate of homicides sits at 6 per every 100,000 people. Cases of murder aren’t the only thing dropping Camden, the number of non-violent crimes is decreasing as well. As a result, Camden is becoming a safer city, drawing the attention of businesses and potential residents across the country. However, numbers alone don’t convince skeptics of Camden’s growth. Those who doubt Camden’s success point to discrepancies and minor details, yet Camden’s progress is the result of plenty of hard work and reform.
The Cause of a Decline in Crime
Camden’s success is not attributed to some fluke or mistake of numbers; it is the product of some very real work being done citywide. A wide variety of factors have caused the decline in crime rate, however, the most significant cause of a drop in crime is the recent reformation of the Camden police force. Before 2008, the now disbanded Camden Police Department was a mismanaged and bloated police force that did little to actually fight the crime that had once been rampant in the city. After 2008, the department was dissolved, and the Camden County Police Department took its place. This new countywide police force cost taxpayers less, and focused more on ‘community policing.’ By paying more attention to their community, and the small scale, the county at large flourished.
Better policing isn’t the only factor in Camden’s dramatic decline in crime though. Investments made in better education have also helped make the city far safer. By stopping crime at its source, troubled and misguided youth, the city-wide crime rates dropped significantly. This focus on community and education have been proven to work in other cities as well, as it refocuses attention on fighting crime directly to helping build an active community opposed to crime altogether.
Camden is not the only previously dangerous city becoming safe again. In fact, Camden’s drop in crime is a part of a broader nationwide trend of decreasing rates of nonviolent and violent crimes. The cause for this drop in crime varies from city to city; however, it makes a case for Camden all the better. Other examples of violent cities turning peaceful show that it is possible and that these numbers of more peaceful streets aren’t just some kind of miscalculation.
Camden at Prime-Time for Prospective Homebuyers
With the decreasing crime rate, affordable homes that may have been unfavorable before, are prime pieces of real estate. The real estate values in Camden may be moderately low, but they are rising quickly. As crime leaves the city, businesses move in to invest in and take advantage of low prices and a growing economy. Those looking to purchase property, or to resettle their families may want to look towards Camden, as now is the time to buy a home; and there are plenty of homes worth buying. Don’t let the skeptics fool you, Camden is better now than ever. Buying property in this growing New Jersey city could be the best investment decision you’ve ever made.