Homicides At Historic Low In Essex County, Prosecutors Say

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Every life lost to violence is a tragedy, and even a huge drop in crime is no reason for a “victory lap.” But it’s hard to not find encouragement in the following milestone, officials say: Essex County is seeing its lowest homicide rate in decades.

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens released an analysis of federal crime statistics for the area on Friday. The good news? There has been a 27 percent drop in homicides over the past year – a massive reduction that places the county in a historic position.

There have been 57 homicides reported by local police departments in Essex County so far in 2023. And while there is still nearly a month remaining in the year, it’s a number that is still well below the 78 homicides seen in 2022.

According to the prosecutor’s office, criminal charges have been filed in 49 of the 57 homicides (86 percent). For comparison, the national clearance rate for homicide cases based on FBI data is 52.3 percent, Stephens noted.

“This is by no means a victory lap since each homicide represents a loss of life, and each one pains us deeply,” he said. “We will continue to work in close partnership with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to reduce all violent crime in Essex County, especially homicide.”

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS

According to the prosecutor’s office, 45 of the homicides were firearm-related. In addition, eight involved stabbings, and four were connected to domestic-violence.

There were two additional homicides in the county this year, but since one was reported in an Essex County park and the other on Port Authority property, they were not included in these figures. An additional homicide was reported in Newark in 2023, but since the victim died from an injury sustained in 2022, that also wasn’t included in the total, prosecutors noted.

Here’s where the county’s homicides have taken place in 2023:

• Newark – 43
• East Orange – 3
• Irvington – 5
• Belleville – 2
• Bloomfield – 1

The majority of the county’s homicides took place in Newark, the most populated city in the state. However, the city has been seeing its own dramatic drop in nearly every category of violent crime, including homicides.

Earlier this year, Newark public safety officials announced that the city’s homicide rate is the lowest it has been in nearly six decades, with 50 homicides reported in 2022 – the lowest number since 1963. Read More: Newark Saw Less Homicides And Violent Crime In 2022, Officials Say

Essex County’s reduction in homicides mirrors a larger trend in New Jersey, which is seeing historic lows in violent crime, FBI statistics show. Read More: NJ Is 'Safest' State In Nation For Violent Crime, New Study Says

A recent study named New Jersey as the “safest” in the nation when it comes to violent crime. Researchers pointed to two big factors that seemed to help the Garden State score the top spot: gun control and police reform.

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