Local crime statistics are released in September detailing the prior year crime rate in each municipality in New Jersey. The New Jersey Crime Reporting Law was enacted in 1966, which required all law enforcement agencies to report the number of known offenses in the following categories: homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. The crime of arson was added in 1978. These offenses reflect the federal government Uniform Crime Reporting Program established in 1930. Each municipality is classified by character according to the Department of Community Affairs, Division of State and Regional Planning, Bureau of Statewide Planning into one of five classifications: urban center, urban suburban, suburban, rural and rural center. Long Hill Township is classified as suburban- predominantly single family residential, within a short distance of an urban area.

The uniform reportable crimes, also referred to as index crimes, are added together, divided by the latest census population and then multiplied by 1000. The formula will yield the number of index crimes reported for each unit of population per 1,000. In the year 2001, Long Hill Township recorded 70 index crimes. The 2000 census recorded 8777 residents. Therefore, the crime rate for the year 2001 was 8.0.  (Our 2001 Crime Statistics are on the website.)

What impact does the crime index have on you as a resident of Long Hill Township? Chances are the number has no impact on you if you were not a victim of an index crime. Historical crime index data may give us an indication of the crime trends that have occurred in Long Hill Township over the past 30 years.

In 1971, there were 278 index crimes reported. Based on the 1970 census population the crime rate was 37.6. In 1981, there were 245 index crimes reported. Based on the 1980 census population the crime rate was 33.4. In 1991, there were 133 index crimes reported. Based on the 1990 census population the crime rate was 16.7. Clearly, the number of index crimes have decreased steadily to their lowest levels in 30 years.

Uniform crime reporting is not flawless. The Federal Bureau of Investigation publishes guidelines for reporting index crimes in the Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook. The reporting guidelines rely on the fact that all law enforcement agencies are reporting consistently in the same manner. Reporting of index crimes does not differentiate between victims of an index crime who are town residents versus non-town residents, even though the population of the community is used to determine the crime rate. The Uniform Crime Reporting Program has not changed substantially in 70 years. The index crimes that were identified in 1930 were chosen because of their seriousness and frequency. Many new crimes have developed in our society over the years that occur frequently and are just as serious, which are not recorded as index crimes.

Although the number of serious crimes reported to police have declined in the past 30 years, calls for service have steadily increased reflecting the growth of Long Hill Township and contiguous municipalities. Service calls are classified as all other request for police services other than responses to index crimes. Service calls include investigations of incidents classified as non- criminal, other criminal incidents, traffic accidents, fire and first aid call responses. There was a 24% increase in calls for service received from the public in 2001 over 2000.

The Uniform Crime Reporting Program is the only uniform program that gathers and compares crime statistics in New Jersey. Many factors must be taken into consideration when evaluating the local crime index rate. Evaluating the effects of crime in the community must not be solely based on Uniform Crime Reports.

Michael Peoples
CHIEF OF POLICE