How community groups, activists and local media turned Camden, New Jersey, into a model of police reform

Camden, New Jersey’s homicide rate in 2025 was four times the national average – still high, but a marked change from when it was 18 times the national average in 2012.

By: John A. Shjarback, Rowan University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 25, 2026

Words: 1,249

Last Updated: 2 months ago

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By John A. Shjarback, Rowan University

In 2025, Camden, New Jersey – a city of about 72,000 residents that sits across the Delaware River from Philadelphia – experienced its first homicide-free summer in nearly 50 years.

The city ended the year with 12 homicides – a stark drop from 2012 when it recorded 67, a per capita rate 18 times the national average at the time.

I’m a professor of criminal justice …

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