Crime in New Jersey and in the United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the activities of state authorities in relation to crime in New Jersey and in the United States. The paper explains that in recent years crime rates in New Jersey have dropped significantly, but the prison population, and its costs, have increased and the key reason is that New Jersey (like many other jurisdictions) uses incarceration to address drug problems. The paper points out that there are alternatives to full-scale incarceration that would save the state of New Jersey substantial sums which are now being spent on maintaining a prison system that is built to guard New Jersey from a threat that does not exist.

Outline:
Introduction
Part I: Recent Crime Statistics
Part II: Recent Legislation
Part III: Victims Assistance Programs
Part IV: Correctional Options
Part V: Three Strikes Laws
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"There are two criminal justice systems in the United States: the state system and the federal system. When a person commits a crime, it may be a crime against the laws of the United States; it may be a crime against the laws of the state in which the crime occurs. Violations of the criminal laws of the United States ("federal crimes") are prosecuted by the United States through the U.S. Attorney in each state. Violations of the laws of a given state are prosecuted by the various officials of the state. While the two systems work cooperatively, they do not course over."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Crime in the United States 2005." Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. 2006, accessed Jan. 17, 2007. Available at <http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/>. Internet.
• Emert, Phyllis. "Three Strikes in New Jersey." New Jersey State Bar Foundation. Undated; accessed Jan. 17, 2007. Available at <http://www.njsbf.org/njsbf/student/eagle/spring03-2.cfm>. Internet
• Megan's Law, 42 U.S.C. 14072.
• "New Jersey Crime Rates 1960 - 2005." The Disaster Center. Undated, accessed Jan18, 2007. Available at <http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/njcrimn.htm>. Internet.
• New Jersey Leads Nation in Drug-Incarceration." DrugRehabs.Org. 2005; accessed Jan. 17, 2007. Available at <ratehttp://www.drug-rehabs.org/content.php?cid=629&state=New%20Jersey>. Internet.

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