New Jersey recorded significant drops in gun violence and vehicle thefts in 2025, with shooting victims down 28% and auto thefts declining 9% from the previous year, state officials announced Tuesday.

The state recorded 559 shooting victims in 2025, down from 778 in 2024, according to figures released by Governor Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials at a press conference in East Rutherford. Fatal shootings across the state fell 31% to 107 deaths.

The figures represent the fourth consecutive year of declines and mark all-time lows since New Jersey began tracking the data in 2009. Gun deaths have dropped more than 60% from their 2016 peak of 273 fatalities.

Interestingly, the declining number of gun deaths coincides with the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court “Bruen” decision, which many politicians warned would lead to an increase in violence.

Major cities saw substantial reductions, with Atlantic City and Paterson reporting drops exceeding 50% in shooting victims. Camden, Newark and Trenton each saw declines between 23% and 31%.

Motor vehicle thefts fell to 13,693 from 15,041 the previous year, according to the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center.

Attorney General Matt Platkin attributed the improvements to coordinated law enforcement efforts and new public safety strategies, including community-based violence intervention programs and the ARRIVE Together initiative, which pairs mental health professionals with police responders.

The state has expanded the ARRIVE program to all 21 counties since its launch in December 2021, resulting in more than 15,000 interactions. Community-Based Violence Intervention programs reached more than 97,600 people through the first three quarters of 2025.

Jooish News

Jooish News