TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy recently claimed that the state is one of the safest in the nation, a statement that contradicts national surveys and studies. Data shows that New Jersey ranks between 35-38 among the 50 states in terms of safety.
Governor Murphy said, “New Jersey is one of the safest states in the nation in no small part due to our strong gun safety laws.” He argued that the state’s legislation, particularly on gun control, contributes to its safety, and expressed gratitude towards legislative leaders for their role in this.
A U.S. News and World Report study revealed similar findings.
However, studies based on the number of homicides reveal a different picture. New Hampshire ranks as the safest state in America with just 20 reported homicides. Vermont and Wyoming follow with 24 and 27 homicides, respectively. Maine and Rhode Island complete the top five, reporting 39 and 46 homicides each. The list extends to include North Dakota, South Dakota, Hawaii, Idaho, and Alaska, but New Jersey is conspicuously absent from the top ten.
Governor Murphy emphasized his commitment to maintaining the state’s gun control laws, stating, “We will remain steadfast in defending our nation-leading gun safety laws and maintaining our position as a national leader in protecting families from gun violence.”
Despite the Governor’s assertions, New Jersey’s position in national rankings suggests that the state has room for improvement in safety measures. It remains to be seen if the existing legislation will bring about changes in the state’s safety rankings in the future.
When you talk about homicides, New Jersey is not the safest state, however, overall crime in New Jersey do make it among the safest states across the board.
“New Jersey is the safest state in the U.S., according to our results. Data from the crime reporting period we studied showed that the state has the lowest number of rapes per 100,000 people (14.4) and the fourth-lowest number of aggravated assaults. It ranks third in lowest number of burglaries per capita, third in larceny-theft and sixth in motor vehicle theft,” Consumer Affairs reports. “Where it really stands out, though, is in the number of law enforcement officers (452 per 100,000). It gets the top spot despite ranking 15th overall in murder and nonnegligent manslaughter (3.7 per 100,000).”