Located in New Castle Country, Newark has a population of around 33,000. One would want to measure or compare crime rates, just as individuals like to ascertain the safety of a place—whether it be habitable or safe for a vacation. The following breakdown of the crime rates and safety-related data as of the most recent statistics helps one to better grasp the safety of Newark.
Crime Rates
Newark Police Department: Based on official FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data, Newark has a reasonable crime rate when compared to other American cities. Whereas property crimes were at 25.73 per 1000 persons in 2020, the incidence of violent crimes was 3.48 per 1000 individuals.
With a rate of 117.8 events per 1,000 Newark residents—above the national average of 6.5 per 1,000—violent crime has remained high in the city. Also, less than the national average of 35.4 is the property crime rate. Furthermore, less than the national figure of 20.2 is the violent crime rate. This implies that, in comparison to other American cities, Newark has a lower frequency of crime including robberies, assaults, burglaries, and carjacking.
On the other hand, if the emphasis is on long-term developments, violent crimes dropped by 13% in 2020 compared to 2019 while property crimes increased by 5%. More specifically, rates of violent and property crimes have generally been dropping throughout the previous ten years.
Murder Rate
Consequently, Newark has a very low recorded murder rate. With only one murder recorded out of the 10,000+ population in 2020, the murder rate per 1000 persons comes to 0.03%. Although the murder rate in the given area is much higher than the national murder rate—about 6/100000. Neither 2019 nor 2018 revealed any homicides. The absence of or very few murder cases in the last several years indicates Newark cannot be linked with the worst kinds of violence.
Safest Neighborhoods
Five of the safest neighborhoods located here in Newark are Bryn Mawr North, Bryn Mawr South, Chapel Hill, Country Hills Fairfield, Chapel Street East, and Rahway Drive. Each of these areas has a smaller crime figure in comparison with the aggregate city figure. Bryn Mawr North and South did not experience any violent crimes, however, there were only 23 property crimes in the entirety of 2020. The safest areas are pretty much in the suburbs and as you move towards the main business area of the city.
Unsafest Neighborhoods
Thus, Newark Center, East Main Street, and Delaware Avenue are the most statistically unsafe districts in the area. These areas are within or close to what is often referred to as the downtown area. This center is responsible for most of the criminal activities in Newark as it contributed 44% to violent crimes and 31% to property crimes. Victims report more crimes in these areas than in other parts of the city: East Main Street and Delaware Avenue are slightly above the average. The areas consisting of apartments or complexes and areas that contain both residential and business areas are more likely to have higher crime rates as compared to strictly single residential neighborhood areas of standalone single homes.
Infrastructure Impacting Safety
Newark's crime prevention organizational structure affects the safety of the city. This police force is composed of approximately one hundred sworn police officers to cater to the needs of the Newark community. According to FBI rates, the ratio of the number of officers to a thousand residents of Newark in 2020 was 2.4. This is slightly below, or equal to, the average of other cities across the United States of America. Having a sufficient number of officers is also important because it enables the police to conduct patrols and respond to calls in the relatively compact region of Newark.
Not only does the city have its police force, but a total of over 25 surveillance cameras are located downtown, near the Amtrak Station, Newark Community Center, parks, and recreation trails. First, security cameras prevent crimes from happening, and second, they assist officers in their work when investigating certain cases. Newark experienced a sharp decrease in crimes due to effective police and crime prevention technology.
Another campus within city limits is the University of Delaware which also has its police force to ensure the safety of the students and other citizens; this force also assists in the maintenance of order in areas that are densely populated by college students.
So Is Newark Safe?
When comparing Newark’s crime rates for the years preceding this report and the existing security apparatus, the data reveals that Newark is a relatively safer mid-sized city when compared to state or national levels. Although Newark has blocks that experience slightly more crime than blocks in the middle of the city, for the inhabitants and tourists, the probability of becoming a victim of a criminal offense as well as a property crime is quite low.
However, we must understand that no city in the world can be completely free of crimes. Awareness of surroundings and not walking alone at night, securing homes and cars, reporting any suspicious cases, and using available crime prevention measures make citizens and visitors enjoy the best security in Newark. These are proper measure which adds to the already secure environment of the community.
