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The United Way of Camden County (UWCC) engaged the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers-Camden (WRI) to prepare a Comprehensive Community Assessment of all 37 municipalities in the County. The objective of this Community Assessment is to provide a broad array of data for the UWCC to use in orienting its community-building process. The model drawn upon for this study is Compass 2.0, a community-building model developed by the United Way of America and used as a community assessment and community-building tool by United Ways throughout the country.

Camden City Capacity Building Project

An important component of any serious effort to improve governmental capacity is an assessment of the skills, capabilities and training/development needs of the municipal workforce. While numerous studies have noted the need for governmental capacity building in Camden, none had provided an assessment of its employees. To that end, the Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) requested that the Walter Rand Institute (WRI) design a survey of development needs and technical skills of all levels of employees in City Hall.  Questions probed employees’ understanding of governmental processes and operations, their educational attainment and training, allocation of time to critical activities, and their responses to motivation and incentive alternatives, as well as information technology skills.

This report provides some background on the Camden Safer Cities Initiative, as well as frames the scope of re-entry and supervision in Camden City, summarizes the Policy Forum and recommendations that were offered by the panelists.

To assist the Camden City Curfew Project the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs analyzed curfew projects operating in Denver, Colorado, Jacksonville, Florida, North Little Rock, Arkansas, New Orleans, Louisiana and Phoenix, Arizona.  We looked at how the programs are funded and staffed, as well as how they use volunteers, involvement of service providers, and what type of services are provided to youth.  Findings indicate that the Camden project is uniquely dependent upon volunteers and has a relatively broad coalition of partners.

This analysis of Part I Crime in Camden City is based on UCR Crime Data. Part I Crime is the most violent, serious and frequently occurred offenses (murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson). Some of the findings show that while crime is up in 2006, it is still well below the previous 5 year average.

Responding to stakeholders in the South Jersey region, Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers – Camden (WRI) was approached to help explore ways to better manage regional development. Under the leadership of WRI, a Regional Development Forum was organized, bringing together diverse stakeholders for candid policy discussions about development issues. The group, comprised of builders, environmentalists, planning experts and policy advocates came together to identify common goals and generate recommendations for improving planning, with special consideration for southern New Jersey, the fastest growing region in the state. The group came to a consensus that a county-centric planning model, entitled Growth Fit.  This document serves to discuss this model, generating the necessary interest to this county-centric plan into legislation.

On April 4, 2006, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs convened the second South Jersey Regional Development Forum. This Forum featured a presentation by Barry Seymour, Assistant Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission on Destination 2030: A Vision for the Future.  This presentation provided an opportunity for policymakers and stakeholders at the Forum to discuss in a broader regional context the Growth Fit Model for housing developed by the Builder’s League of South Jersey.

On November 3, 2005 the Senator Walter Rand Institute hosted the first South Jersey Regional Development Forum which featured a discussion on the Growth Fit Model as presented by the Builder’s League of South Jersey.  This forum was held in an effort to foster open and productive discussions of critical issues facing development in southern New Jersey.  The outcomes of this discussion included: identifying the need for media support and an outreach plan to educate the public about these issues, the crucial nature of further discussions regarding these issues and the need to incorporate environmental issues into this discussion.

In 2005, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs completed a Smart Growth Forecast for the counties of Southern New Jersey to assess the effects of urban sprawl in the region.  The study assessed current land use practices in an effort to establish the need for better land use management in Southern New Jersey.  This assessment involves the collection of data and creation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) maps to illustrate possible development scenarios in the region.

In 2004, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs conducted a Smart Growth Forecast for Camden, Gloucester and Burlington Counties in southern New Jersey.  A land use simulation model was developed to enable policymakers, planners, developers and community groups to see where potential new development should take place as well as to assess the extent to which existing urban centers needed redevelopment.  This alternative approach advocates coordinated, comprehensive planning processes that encourage urban revitalization, open space preservation while promoting sustainable economic development.

Written at a critical time for Camden County, “Toward a Metropolitan Complex: the Camden HUB Smart Growth Report” describes the looming peril of a decreasing tax base and increasing health and social service demands in Camden County.  Dr. Richard Harris, Director of the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs, considers the current and impending state of affairs in this report, and offers a sound solution for regional development that employs and conserves environmental, institutional, social and infrastructure resources. Read more on the forecasted state of Camden County and viable solutions for redevelopment.

The report, “South Jersey’s Views on Sprawl, Development, and Regional Identity,” is based on surveys conducted in 2001, surrounding the issues of suburban sprawl, development and regional identity.  Survey responses from South Jerseyans help to understand the myths related to South Jersey’s identity, and the cycle of valuing open space while urban flight and suburban development increase demands for those lands to be developed. Valuable for its description of South Jerseyans’ values and preferences, click here to read more on the proposed smart growth initiatives for the region.

How are businesses being affected by the literacy of their workforce? How aware are businesses of workforce literacy issues? What kinds of literacy services would benefit businesses and their employees? Given that an estimated 42% of adults in the county lack literacy skills needed to be successful in family life and the workplace, these are critical questions for the county to answer. 

In 2006, WRI was contracted by the Burlington County Workforce Investment Board’s Literacy Committee to explore these and other questions regarding workforce literacy in the county. Utilizing surveys and focus groups, WRI helped the Literacy Committee find the answers to these questions and formulate strategies to address the needs of Burlington County businesses and residents.

MPA Alumni Survey Analysis

The results of the MPA Alumni Survey Analysis demonstrate alumni are satisfied with the Rutgers University-Camden MPA program; however, according to the alumni, career development can be improved.  The Rutgers University in Camden MPA department graduated its first students in 1982.  In order to evaluate the quality of the program, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs has performed a survey on all 422 MPA alumni.  The survey results indicate that decision making and problem-solving, oral communication, written communication, and leadership skills are the most important tools developed in the program.