Crime & Safety

Crime Rate Dips in Lacey

Ocean County experiences overall increase, keeping with statewide statistics

Overall crime in Lacey Township decreased in 2011 from 2010, according to data released with the state’s 2011 Uniform Crime Report.

The increase was owed to a decline in both the number of nonviolent and violent crimes recorded in the township, bucking statistics found in greater Ocean County, where crime escalated from 2010 to 2011. There was also a 3 percent rise in overall crime in New Jersey from 2010 to 2011, with increases in murder, robbery and rape.

Lacey recorded 773 total incidents of crime in 2011, down from 861 in 2010. However, the vast majority of crimes recorded were nonviolent—categorized as burglaries, larcenies, motor vehicle thefts and arson—with 745 compared to 819 in 2010. The number of violent incidents dipped, from 42 in 2010 to 28 in 2011.

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The decline in nonviolent crimes is mainly attributed to less motor vehicle thefts in 2011, with 14 as compared to 17 in 2010. There were 107 burglaries in the township in 2011, down from 2010's 118. The township also experienced a slight decrease in larcenies (thefts without a weapon or force), with 624 in 2011 as compared to 684 in 2010.

The majority of violent crimes in Lacey were aggravated assault, according to the Uniform Crime Report, with 19 in 2011 and 31 in 2010. Lacey also recorded nine incidents of robbery in 2011 compared to 11 in 2010.

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The overall crime rate per 1,000 residents waned from 31.1 in 2010 to 28.0 in 2011. The violent crime rate decreased from1.5 to 1.0 in the same time period and the nonviolent crime rate per 1,000 followed at 26.9 from 29.6 in 2010.

Countywide, the crime rate per 1,000 residents rose from 21.1 in 2010 to 21.8 in 2011. The violent crime rate per 1,000 declined by 0.1. The nonviolent crime rate increased, with 20.7 incidents per 1,000 in 2011 from 19.9 in 2010.

Ocean recorded an increase in only one recorded violent crime category -- rape with 48 in 2011 from 32 in 2010. The overall incidents of crime was 12,570 in 2011 as compared to 12,162 in 2010. The incline was primarily attributed to larceny with 9,326 in 2011 compared to 8,881 in 2010.

Lacey residents can easily compare how their municipality’s crime rate in 2011 compared to neighboring towns with an interactive map created by NJ Spotlight.

The map plots the total crime rate per 1,000 people for seven index crimes (violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, and non-violent crimes are burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) using data from the recently released 2011 Uniform Crime Report.

The crime rate per 1,000 was considerably lower in the nearby, smaller municipalities. Barnegat registered a 2011 rate of 11.8 and Ocean Township 19.4. In Berkeley Township, the crime rate per 1,000 was 16.0.

As required by statute, all law enforcement agencies in the state submit monthly and annual summary crime reports to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, under the NJ State Police.

Information about 2012 will be released in December 2013. 

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