WRI continues to serve as neutral convener/facilitator and data analyst under a grant from the NJ Attorney General for this pilot public safety initiative in Camden. The CSCI 40+ member Steering Committee, comprised of law enforcement, criminal justice, and social service agencies along with community leaders meets monthly at the Campus Center to monitor and problem-solve on the offender-based strategy WRI helped design. These forums also provide much needed opportunities for the criminal justice system to interact, network and break down traditional organizational silos. >>> more

>>> Camden Safer Cities Brochure
>>> Camden City Safer Cities Participants at a Glance
>>> Summit Evaluation Analysis

Prisoner Reentry

In 2006, The New Jersey Department of Corrections released approximately 14,000 prisoners.  Release statistics show that the state’s poorer urban areas are burdened by a disproportionate amount of this population.  Consequences of failure in reentry are of serious concern to policy-makers and all stakeholders determined to increase public safety and quality of life issues for residents.  In the United States, two-thirds of the individuals released from prison are rearrested for the commission of a new crime within three years. 

Since 2002, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs has been working with the Camden Safer Cities Initiative to address issues of service delivery and offender accountability through increased communication and collaboration among city residents, law enforcement agencies, social service providers, and offender supervisory agencies. 

In 2007, WRI began work on evaluations of two prisoner reentry programs for the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Office of Transitional Services.  The evaluations of these programs will measure impact in re-offense rates amongst a set of  selected participants in the program. 

Prisoner Rentry Initiative - Camden Offender Reentry Program (PRI_CORP)

Building on the advancements made through collaborative partnerships in the Camden Safer Cities Initiative, WRI will adapt the CSCI Case Processing model to fit a caseload of NJ Department of Corrections participants being released to the city of Camden. These ex-offenders will be provided with services according to an individualized service delivery plan, with a focus on employment.
WRI will convene service providers, case managers and parole officers to discuss participant progress, address participant needs, and identify and fill service delivery gaps to offenders returning to Camden City. >>> more

Operation CeaseFire (OCF)

Camden City has been chosen as one of the first cities in New Jersey to become involved in a statewide effort directed toward the reduction of violent crime. CeaseFire – New Jersey is currently being implemented in five cities throughout the state. Operation CeaseFire, which carries the slogan “The campaign to stop the next shooting”, is modeled after heralded programs in Chicago and Boston. Through extensive community outreach, a public education campaign, and increased law enforcement resources, Operation CeaseFire seeks to lower shooting incidents
in three target areas in the city of Camden. WRI's role is as neutral convener and to provide technical assistance for the reporting of results to the NJ Office of the Attorney General, Department of Law and Public Safety.