The Rate of Homelessness in Camden

Camden, New Jersey is a city with an estimated population of 73, 973. The statistical figure is based on the most recent data of the United States Census estimates. Camden is the seventh-largest in the state according to the 2017 US Census Bureau estimates. The city has a population density of 8294.39 people per square meter with an overall median age of 29.9 years. The median age of males is approximately 27.6 years while that of females is 31.5 years. There are only 92 males in every 100 females in the city. Additionally, the city’s households have roughly 2.89 individuals per household according to the 2017 data generated from the American Community Survey. The households have a median income of $26,105 although the mean household income is $39, 029. Further, the American Census Statistics classifies the population of Camden City based on its racial composition as follows: there are 45.40% African Americans, Whites 21.22%, 3.18% Asian, 0.63% Native Americans, 0.07% Native Hawaiians also called the Pacific Islander 25.94% other races, and finally 3.57% two or more races. Camden City still faces several social issues in the United States. Based on the US Census Bureau data, about 32,000 residents in the city still live below the poverty line with an annual household income of approximately $22,000. The household figure is very low to sustain the lives of Camden City residents in such an expensive city. The city is expensive in that rent goes for between $900 and $1,000 every month, especially in poor neighborhoods. Despite these higher figures, you just have to praise the Lord for another day because you are not sure when you can be shot. There are limited job opportunities in the city and this fact is responsible for the higher rate of poverty with the unemployment rate increasing to 99.0%. Camden has a jobless rate of 19%. The increased unemployment rate results in a daily increase in the rates of crime, an activity believed to sustain the lives of the poor for survival. Therefore, the city is very poor and the most dangerous to inhabit. Furthermore, the city recorded 1,968 crimes for every 100,000 individuals in 2017. The figure translates into 229 crimes per 100,000 people in the entire state. Precisely, there were 1,462 violent crimes in the same year in the city with a poverty rate of 37.4%. The city’s annual unemployment is 8.9%. Generally speaking, Camden City experiences higher poverty and unemployment rates than any other state in the US. For instance, the city has experienced several murders, nonnegligent slaughter, rape, robbery with violence, and aggravated assault. However, the crime rate fell by 4% in 2012 as compared to 2011. Since then, the rate of violent crime has increased and property crime has equally increased. The violent crime rate in the city in 2012 was more than the national violent crime rate in the nation and it averaged 563.3%. However, the property crime rate increased by 85.36%, which was higher than the national property crime rate. Therefore, this paper discusses Camden City’s demographics, social issues, and crime rate and how these factors affect the overall population and development of the region in comparison to state and national averages. Currently, there are 1,465 violent crimes in Camden City with a crime rate of 19.66. The property crime is recorded to be 2,544, whose rate is 34.13. This implies that the total number of crimes in the city is 4,009 with a crime rate of 53.79 per 1,000 individuals. in comparison to previous years, there were 67 crimes in 2012 with a rate of 87 murders for every 1,000 people. Based on national averages, Camden recorded the fifth largest number of crimes in the US in 2012. However, the crime rate fell significantly in 2018, with only 22 candles lit as compared to the previous years since 1987. Therefore, the city has realized a significant decline in the number of homicides since 2012 and even robbery, aggravated assaults, violent crimes, and property crimes declined. Similarly, non-fatal shooting incidents also decreased. Generally, the city is one of the most dangerous areas in the United States and the contributing factors include the changing infrastructure of the city. The city’s Police Department was disbanded in 2013 and the police were given meager salaries, their numbers reduced as compared to previous years, and the city generally adopted a strategic shift involving community policing. The purpose of the decision was to restructure the police force and build trust between the police and community members. Generally, the increase in violent crimes in Camden in 2017 dubbed the city one of the most dangerous places in America and it was number four in the list. However, the number of fatal shootings has declined by 45% since 2012. The numbers depict that although Camden is a growing city, it has never been the safest since it has the highest crime rate in New Jersey. However, the city’s murder rate reduced by 30% in 2019. However, the low murder rate is a kind of improvement that prospective homeowners can find as an opportunity for investment. The number of murders declined to 23% in a city with almost half a million residents. Comparatively, the national homicide rate is only 6 per 1,000 individuals although this has been declining significantly in the US. However, these declining numbers have not been adequately convincing that the city of Camden is growing economically. However, there are several factors responsible for the decline in the city’s crime rate. The reformation of the police force is the most important factor that saw the crime rate drop just before 2008. The new countrywide police force adopted cost-effective strategies that cost taxpayers little money as compared to the previous years. Additionally, the new structure of the police force focused on community policing, which ensured the success of the currently flourishing county. Better policing enhanced the rate of decline in crime rate through the efforts of the police to fight the rampant criminal activities. Generally, it is the property crime that is more prevalent in Camden as compared to violent crime, with the former recorded as 15.7% while the former is currently 35.9%. Overall, the most prevalent t crimes include rape, robbery, nonnegligent manslaughter, and aggravated assault. The city’s crime index is between 1 and 100 with the most prevalent property crime being burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and even arson. People who possess drugs are the most arrested although this has steeply declined in the city over the last three years. For instance, many people who possessed marijuana were the most arrested in 2016 as compared to any other group possessing cocaine and injection drugs. Camden County focuses on arresting cannabis users and sellers and this is one of the police department’s strategies for patrolling the city and its environs. For example, in 2016, the police arrested 241 individuals for possessing marijuana, 229 for opiates possession, 97 synthetic drug users, and 1 to represent the other drug users. In total, the police arrested 568 drug possession victims in Camden in the same year. In comparison, the county realized a 40% reduction in the number of drug possession and use since 2013, a year in which Camden recorded 940 marijuana and other related drug possession and use arrested individuals. The city saw a major decline in the number of synthetic drugs used and this included methamphetamine, non-opiate prescription pills like Valium and Xanax. Other synthetic drugs include K2/Spice and ecstasy in addition to other addictive substances. Notably, even cocaine and opiates fall under the same arrest code although there is no exact number of arrests for heroin versus crack cocaine. The drug users were arrested because the substances increase the rates of crimes in the entire County of Camden. Therefore, arrests and drug policies were strategies to reduce the number of marijuana. This was based on the local marijuana ordinances in the US. There are 460 police officers in Camden City and this marks the second-largest police force in the southern New Jersey following Atlantic City with a per capita of 162.03. The department of police and policing relies on a philosophy that is based on valuable relationships between the police and residents to improve the effectiveness of the city’s policies, advance technological capabilities, and generally improving the safety and wellness of the people. The demographics of the police department reflect that of the community. To support this assertion, the department has been focusing on community-based evidence as a way of improving public safety. Therefore, community involvement in crime prevention and reduction has significantly reduced the number of murders and improved the perceptions of the people about crime. There is evidence that the city feels calmer now following the reformation of the police force and even children are free in public places like streets and parks. There has been improved socialization following the reduction of open gunfire initiated by the drug gangs. However, the county has also implemented policies reducing gun possession and use in the public arena. Camden has adopted policies reducing illegal possession of firearms in the urban areas and state laws still regulate gun sales while promoting compliance with the sale of gun laws, crime gun trace, and trafficking indicators. In New Jersey, the death penalty applies to certain cases, provided the actions of the criminals to meet the efficient and equitable measures laid down by the legislature on January 10, 2006. Therefore, although the state reinstated the death penalty in 1982, the death penalty still applies to certain cases, especially for gunmen who commit homicide in Camden City. The political philosophy linking crime and its causes in Camden County is based on the relationship between criminal sanction to deterrence. Therefore, swift punishments should be instituted and they should be certain and proportional to prevent future crimes and deter criminal behavior while maintaining a standard level of rationality in the County. In this regard, crime and its causes focus on rehabilitative and deterrence-based philosophies. From a wider perspective, Camden city depends on deterrence-based penology and the previous philosophies of punishment that depend on nominal progressivism to curtail the further proliferation of criminal activities. Several laws shape how Camden city operates. For instance, some of its local ordinances require partnership with the city-school system to prevent drug-use among school-aged individuals in the urban areas of New Jersey. Similarly, the county partners with other law-enforcement agencies and adopting the “fish with a spear, not with a net” strategy to combat crime and implement other better deployment options in the city, as well as the entire county. The major gun problem in Camden involves the possession of guns by a greater number of youths as compared to the nation in general. For example, the county logged 35 shootings in the first three months of 2019. Five of the total number of shootings was fatal with four other individuals shot to death in the first four days of April alone. 

Social issues 

There are diverse economic differences in Camden city and these economic disparities re responsible for the increasing number of crimes in the United States in general. The city has individuals from different races having low incomes while others are high-income earners. In some areas of Camden City, people live in abject poverty while others are just rich, possibly due to racial considerations. Some people in the suburban regions of the county live below the poverty line. For example, in 2009, approximately 35.9% of the people lived below the poverty line. There are approximately 550 homeless people in Camden County according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rate of homelessness in Camden County was 7.6% as of 2016 and it is the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the entire state based on the report from the Monarch Housing Associates. There are several homeless prevention programs to address the problem in Camden County and such include the Homeless Prevention Program that connects homeless individuals with rental assistance, welfare, and local services. Homelessness deteriorates the quality of life of the people living in Camden County. For instance, most homeless individuals have severe mental disorders with little to no access to disability entitlement services. Therefore, their support for social networks is generally low. Additionally, the illegitimacy rate in Camden County is still high and regarded as a major social issue. People classified as the Negros are the most illegitimate based on the vast array of statistical information in a published government report. In the county, the percentage of single-parent houses is 16.4% males. Single-parent females account for 83.6% of the total. Poor economic conditions do not favor peaceful relationships between couples and they end up breaking up while searching for lucrative job opportunities in Camden City. As a result, they find Focus Teams that give them family support while providing children and adolescents aged 16 and below some financial handouts to continue their education. This helps the single households to support their own lives while raising their overall wellbeing in Camden Community. The overall marital status of the people of Camden is indicated in terms of the marriage, divorced, and single. Over 29% of the county’s inhabitants are married while 71% are single. Approximately 59% of the county’s male population never married, while 57% of females are unmarried. Over 9% of males are divorced while 8% of females are divorced in the county. The county’s budget in 2019 was $208.7 million and Camden City received $123 million in state aid. This is expected to increase by 50% in state aid by 2024. The Camden Community spends half of its revenues on rent and most people spend as much as 25% of their rent on rent. Therefore, the higher expenditures on rent contribute to increased social vices include burglary and robbery. However, some of the expenditures are incurred on school fees in public schools. Notably, education is expensive in New Jersey, with many school districts spending an average of $20,385 per student to attain educational services. In the entire state, learners spend averagely $60,129 in a given small district to a minimum of $10,181 for Jersey City charter schools that have more at least 310 students. The community’s schools are average in terms of performance. It has public district schools, public charter schools, private, preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools. Most of the community’s school districts get straight As in ratings and most students pay more than $24, 000. The graduation rate in most of Camden City School Districts is currently desirable at 64% although the dropout rate is currently between 20% and 15%. The Camden County enrolls approximately 30,000 students, who graduate with credit with several thousands of others graduating from suburban campuses every academic year. The community has a student-faculty ratio of 23:1. However, truancy remains the most persistent problem among the school-goers of the Camden Community. The behavior persists despite the government’s move to spend over $900 million to improve the codes of conduct among students in public school, as well as their attendance. In 2008 alone, over 10,000 students missed approximately 18 days due to truancy cases. Therefore, the efforts to connect learners to available educational services are still unachievable soon. The community, through the Camden council, has established several parks and other recreational facilities to serve its members. Currently, the Camden local government area is growing at a faster pace due to the increasing demographic population attracted by the parks and recreational facilities in the region. For instance, the community has skateboards, BMX bikes, and scooters. They also offer outdoor riding recreational services, some of which are offered by companies like Convic and United Skateparks. Drug use is still a problem in Camden and the City has realized a significant increase in the use of both recreational drugs and chemical substances. Some community members use recreational drugs for enjoyment and leisure while others claim that they possess and use them for medical purposes. For instance, tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol are recreational drugs that have been heavily abused in the city. The major problem with these recreational drugs is that they increase health and social problems like crime and road traffic accidents. Additionally, continual use of drugs leads to addiction and self-mediation. However, Camden County has rolled out a massive campaign to tackle the increasing use of recreational drugs among its youths. Its strategies to curb the problem include both health and prevention campaigns, which involve far-reaching repercussions for buying drugs in Camden. The overall situation in Camden County generally impacts the health outcomes of the people. For instance, life expectancy has reduced and it currently stands at 86.7 years for baby girls while males 85.6 years. On average, life expectancy is 89.6 years. However, there is a 20-year life expectancy gap between the rich and the poor. For instance, a 65-year old man classified under the rich category is expected to live another 20.7 years while women 24.4 more years. The higher life expectancy among the rich as compared to the poor is due to better lifestyles that guarantee a good life for sustaining a longer life. In general, over 40,000 people aged 15 years and above smoke in Camden. However, direct estimates indicate that 32,500 people, specifically adults in Camden, are smokers and this translates into 17% of the adult population. Smoking has resulted in major health problems including lower birth weight, premature births, placental problems, and perinatal mortality. However, some races have recorded higher smoking rates as compared to others. In terms of housing, many people are homeless due to higher rental rates and the living conditions are far from safe. The poor live in dilapidated houses while the rich live in modern and standard housing due to higher prices, with some costs per square foot reaching $54. Averagely, homes cost as high as $64,900 with median rent reaching $1,550. The local government of New Jersey spent $1,000 on both social and health assistance in 2012. The US allocated up to $6,500 to not-for-profit organizations to support poor households. The median household income in Camden is $26,105 annually. The figure is far less than the median household income of $60,336 in the entire United States according to a 2016 study that represented -0.416% annual growth. There are several job opportunities in Camden, New Jersey. These include auto parts delivery drivers, store associates, receptionists, as well as other social service jobs. Finally, the cultural background of Camden is based on the county’s diversity, which is characterized by its ethnic, cultural, and occupational networks. The public appreciates their comprehensive understanding of the cultural richness that is based on diversity. The city’s historic buildings and structures are of vital cultural aspects that give the community a stronger identity and enhanced attractiveness of its new workforce. Camden, NJ has an overall population of 73,973 according to the 2017US census estimates. The figure makes it the seventh-largest city in New Jersey. The population of Camden, NJ has been declined of time. For instance, it reduced from 76,005 to 75,550 between 2016 and 2017. This implies that the population declined by -0.599% with a respective reduction in the household income from $26,214 to $26,105 in the same period. The US census data shows that the population of Camden County reduced by -5,712 individuals in 2017. The population of the county based on gender, race, age, and ethnicity is represented below: 48.5% Hispanic or Latino, 41% Blacks, 5.92% Whites, and over 90% US citizens. There are 3.57% two or more races and 25.94% Pacific Islanders in the county. Sex, gender, race, and ethnicity are important determinants of health. For instance, Blacks have poor health conditions. However, Whites have a better quality of life due to underlying conditions including higher incomes and strong social support from the government. Also, gender determines health disparities and most males experience adverse health conditions than females in general. Further, race determines the socioeconomic status of the people while ethnicity determines the geographical location occupied by the Native Hawaiians. Importantly, geographical location is a determinant of the quality of life with those in poor locations experiencing floods every season and they live in houses with poor planning. There are many zones of concentrated poverty in Camden, which is a metropolitan city. For instance, in some areas, every two out of five households live below the poverty line; hence, they are referred to as high-poverty neighborhoods. There are many dangerous neighborhoods in Camden, NJ. Such include Ferry Avenue/South 8 th Street that has been ranked number five and the major cause of danger is poverty, which increases crime. Also, Lincoln Street/Court in Newark is a dangerous neighborhood that is ranked 11th . Finally, it is the social issues that are responsible for increased violence, crime, rape, and the spread of diseases in Camden.