Searchable Crime Database Live In NJ

NEW JERSEY — Residents can search a new online repository for information about those arrested for serious crimes in New Jersey, including information about alleged crimes, any court proceedings, victim information, and also the race of the defendants.

The Criminal Justice Data Dashboard covers the years 2017-2022 and allows residents to see charts and data about New Jersey’s criminal justice system “from the time defendants enter the criminal justice system to the final disposition of the case.” Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin pointed to the publication of the database as part of his stated goals to “ensure a fair, just, and equitable criminal justice system in New Jersey.”

A law passed in 2021 requires officials to “collect, record, and analyze data regarding defendants” who are 18 or older at the time they committed an alleged indictable offense or disorderly persons offense. The Attorney General’s office, then led by Gurbir S. Grewal, created an Office of Justice Data to centralize the connection, analysis, and ultimately publication of these data. Related article — AG Launches New Office That Will Publish Criminal-Justice Data (from June 2021)

“This unprecedented effort to consolidate criminal justice data spread across various State, County, and local government agencies will allow policy makers, stakeholders, advocates and any member of the public to view data on arrestees,” the AG said.

The database does not include any of the defendant’s names, but includes charges, case status, final dispositions, court fines, fees, restitution amounts ordered, and limited information on victims of crime as well as the demographic information. It also has limited information on crime victims, and shows a majority of victims experienced domestic and/or family violence.

Analysis shows that between 2017 and 2022, officials around the state brought charges against 356,470 separate individuals. Of these defendants, 118,860 people were arrested multiple times while 237,610 were arrested once. And after their time in court, fewer than half of defendants were found guilty, according to the data — 46 percent.

Essex and Camden counties had the highest rate of both arrests and guilty outcomes, the database shows.

Looking at demographics, 73.6 percent of defendants were male and 56 percent were white, including those of Hispanic origin. And, 60.1 percent of defendants were between the ages of 18 and 34.

The most common charges brought against these defendants were drug-related, the data dashboard shows, followed by charges for assault, threat, and stalking. In total, law enforcement filed 1,348,627 charges against the 356,470 people listed: however, only 290,941 charges had a guilty outcome (21.5 percent).

Information comes from records systems maintained by state, county, and local governments according to the AG’s office.

New Jersey also launched a Use of Force Dashboard in 2021 showing use-of-force information from New Jersey's 500-plus law-enforcement agencies.