New Jersey
New Jersey is in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered by the states of New York to the north and the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Delaware to the southwest and Pennsylvania to the west. Its southwestern parts are suburbs of Philadelphia, just across the Delaware River while the northeastern parts of New Jersey are suburbs of New York City just across the Hudson River.
About its name, in the 1640s, Charles II (King of the biggest of the Channel Islands, Jersey) gave to the Bailiff and Governor George Carteret, a large grant of land in the American colonies, which he promptly named New Jersey, in honor of the King. The capital of the state is the remarkable city of Trenton whereas Newark is the biggest one with 282.000 inhabitants and also a significant key transportation hub.
New Jersey is the most densely populated state, with a diverse population, rich culture, and many assets, including the Fortune 500 companies and the abundant natural resources. The most characteristic attractions of the state are: Atlantic City and The Boardwalk, the Old Victorian Cape May, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Grounds for Sculpture, Princeton and its internationally well-known university, the Battlefield State Park, Liberty State Park, The Adventure Aquarium, High Point State Park, Liberty Science Center etc.
The state is also famous for its natural attractions, such us: the Delaware Water Gap of the Appalachian Trail, the blueberry farms and cranberry bogs, the Pine Barrens, the migratory birds of Cape May etc.
Regarding New Jerseys’ criminality rates, annual public safety reports of recent years found crime decreasing, as a result of an overall decrease in total crimes (shootings, robberies, assaults on police officers, sex offenses, drug trade etc.). The crime rate hit a record low in 2015 with the annual review of crime statistics, showed that the state’s overall crime rate decreased by five percent from 2014 to 2015.
Despite the fact that preliminary numbers for 2016 show a similar trend with overall crime dropping, murders continue an upward trend. The distribution of the climb in murders was uneven across major cities. Cities including Paterson, Camden and Trenton reported decreases whereas Newark and Jersey City, the state’s two largest urban centers, saw increases. “While the latest crime data shows a decrease in the overall crime rate in New Jersey, there is still considerable room for improvement,” said New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino “ Although crime rates in New Jersey are falling down (apart from murders) there are still numerous robberies, assaults, violent crimes and drug trade taking place all over the state.
