Overview of Zip Code Areas
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonalities such as place, norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. The 07712 zip code area encompasses four diverse communities: Asbury Park, Interlaken, Ocean Township, and Tinton Falls, located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Asbury Park encompasses the main portion of the zip code. The community is bordered by several other zip code areas, including 07711, 07755, 07724, 07722, 07753, and 07756 (United States Zip codes, n.d.).
The 07711-zip code refers to such communities as Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, and West Allenhurst, which are situated along the eastern coast. 07755 covers the Oakhurst community and is also situated along the eastern coast. 07724 presents the Eatontown community and is to the west from 07711 and 07755. The 07722 is for Colts Neck on the west, and 07753 refers to Neptune City and Wall Township communities situated on the east. The 07756 zip code covers Ocean Grove along the eastern coast.
Demographics
As of 2020, the population was 15,500, with 40.2% Black or African American, 35.3% White, 7% Hispanic, and 6.53% other. The reported median income was $53,655. The average household income is $84,328 (United States Zip codes, n.d.). The median house value in 2020 was $ 397,900 (ASBURY PARK, NJ, 2020).
Employment in this area increased from 8,020 to 8,780 employees between 2019 and 2020, with the unemployment rate at 4% (ASBURY PARK, NJ, 2020). Education levels are: 14% have less than a high school diploma, 45% are high school graduates, 7% have an associate degree, 21% hold bachelor’s degrees, 9% Master’s degree, 3% Professional school degree, and 1% a Doctorate degree (United States Zip codes, n.d.).
Crime as the Main Community Problem
The community has strengths and weaknesses. However, one problem in the community is crime. Crime presents a major challenge for the communities of Tinton Falls, Ocean Township, Interlaken, and Asbury Park being the most significantly impacted.
Recent FBI data reveals that Asbury Park’s total crime rate stands at 4,650.7 per 100,000 residents, surpassing the national average by 98.24% (2,346.0 per 100,000) and the New Jersey state average by 243.59% (1,353.6 per 100,000) (Asbury Park, NJ Crime Statistics For 2022). Within the 07712-zip code, where residents typically consider the central area the safest, the annual crime rate is 18.24 per 1,000 people.
However, the risk varies significantly, with a potential 1 in 34 chance of becoming a victim of crime in the southeast neighborhoods and a 1 in 79 chance in the central part (Asbury Park, NJ Crime Statistics For 2022). According to Morris (2018), “Crime rate in Asbury Park is significantly high. The U.S. average violent crime rate in 2012 was 214 per 100,000 people while Asbury Park’s was 876.5” (p. 6).
The Impact of Crime on the Community
Physical Harm
Crime has consistently stood as a formidable challenge for society, and its influence on the community is indisputable. It can wield a substantial effect on a community across multiple dimensions, ranging from the safety and security of individuals to the resultant social and economic implications (Jonathan et al., 2021). Crime jeopardizes the personal safety and welfare of community members.
Offenses such as thefts, physical assaults, sexual assaults, and homicides present a severe peril to the lives and well-being of people (Crumbley & Ariail, 2020). They erode the foundations of trust within society, instilling fear among the populace. The adverse psychological repercussions of such occurrences can be enduring, giving rise to psychological issues among both victims and those who bear witness to these crimes.
Psychological Threats
It is known that crime, particularly violent and disruptive offenses, has a profound effect on the collective psyche of a community. For example, the fear of becoming a victim of crime or witnessing criminal activities can significantly alter the way community members go about their daily lives (Ceccato & Nalla, 2020). This pervasive fear compromises the sense of safety and security that individuals should ideally feel within one’s community. According to Heissel et al. (2018), “Children exposed to recent incidents of local violence perform worse on assessments of academic skills, executive function, and effortful control, relative to children who were not recently exposed to violence” (p. 323).
Economic Influence
In addition, crime exerts an economic impact on a community. Incidents such as theft, fraud, corruption, and other criminal activities result in the depletion of financial resources that could otherwise be channeled toward social and economic progress (Crumbley & Ariail, 2020). That is, there are social and economic implications for a community. Businesses may be reluctant to invest in or operate within high-crime areas, leading to a lack of economic opportunities (Makwana, 2019). Furthermore, the psychological issues stemming from crime can strain healthcare and social support systems, thereby affecting the community’s overall well-being and resources. Furthermore, crime may engender a decline in investments and, in turn, influence unemployment rates due to its adverse effects on business operations.
Social Effects
Thirdly, crime can result in the disintegration of social frameworks and relationships within a community (Jonathan et al., 2021). Criminal activities can erode trust among individuals and give rise to heightened social tensions. Acts of violence and crime can disrupt family units, particularly when children lose their parents to criminal acts (Jonathan et al., 2021). Additionally, crime can foster the proliferation of unfavorable stereotypes and racial or social biases.
Overall Impacts
Fourthly, crime impacts the overall quality of life within a community. Criminal activities can lead to a diminishment in the quality of life due to reduced security, escalated prices for goods and services (attributable to heightened expenses associated with combating crime), and various other adverse repercussions. Shepley et al. (2019) state that “Studies that focused specifically on gun violence support the hypothesis that green space reduces this violence” (p. 5); however, individuals who experience a sense of insecurity within their surroundings might exhibit reduced participation in civic matters and a diminished level of trust in governmental bodies.
Causes of Crime
Socioeconomic
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. They encompass a wide range of factors that extend beyond the traditional medical or healthcare sphere and play a crucial role in health disparities. Asbury Park, like many other communities, has SDOH that are associated with crime, such as education, built environment, and socioeconomic status, among others.
The studies by Rowhani-Rhabar et al. (2019) concluded that income inequalities within a country are generally linked to higher rates of homicides and other criminal activities. Areas where residents earn a higher income, accordingly, have lower crime rates than those in lower-income areas (Rowhani-Rahbar et al., 2019). Many urban areas, like Asbury Park, have witnessed disparities in income and wealth distribution. It can manifest as affluent neighborhoods coexisting with poor areas. The disparities are often driven by factors such as employment opportunities and housing costs, among others (Asbury Park, 2023). A typical income in 2020 was reported as $53,655, which is below the average in the zip code and the state of New Jersey (United States Zip Codes, n.d.). Additionally, high poverty rates are associated with increased crime rates. Economic challenges and areas with concentrated poverty are known to have more frequent crime occurrences (Asbury Park, NJ Crime Statistics For 2022, 2022).
Environmental
Crime is correlated to the physical environment as well, which is an SDOH in Asbury Park. First, abandoned buildings often become magnets for criminal activities, such as drug use (Asbury Park, 2023). This leads to a tangible decline in the physical environment since structures deteriorate and discourage investment in their revitalization. Potential investors may hesitate to spend money in an area where the environment is deteriorating and associated with crime (Cox, 2022). According to Niche’s (2023) rankings of Asbury Park, 72% of the houses are rented, which proves the importance of keeping the built environment in appropriate condition.
Moreover, the decline of the physical environment can lead to feelings of insecurity and frustration when living in the vicinity of abandoned buildings. According to Niche (2023), there are 828.4 assault and 476.2 burglary cases per 100,000 residents, which implies the need for further improvement. Community members may become less engaged and invested in improving their neighborhood.
Education
Last but not least, low educational attainment is linked to criminal behavior. Thus, education is a fundamental social determinant of health and plays a vital role in shaping individuals’ life outcomes. In Asbury Park, disparities in educational opportunities can contribute to higher crime rates, particularly among vulnerable populations (Asbury Park, 2023). According to United States Zip Codes (n.d.), 14% of the population do not have a high school education, and 45% graduated from high school with no further educational development. Additionally, citizens may be forced to cease their economic development in areas with limited access to quality education, possibly leading to crime involvement.
Addressing these disparities in Asbury Park is a crucial step in fostering a community where individuals have the opportunity to live calmly. Initiatives that focus on improving educational access, quality, and relevance can break the burden of low educational attainment, including a potential reduction in crime rates.
References
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Ceccato, V., & Nalla, M. K. (2020). Crime and fear in public places: Towards safe, inclusive and sustainable cities. Taylor & Francis.
Cox, R. D. (2022). Darkness on the edge of town: Race and urbanization in three New Jersey cities (Publication No. 29060991) [Doctoral dissertation, Florida Atlantic University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Crumbley, D. L., & Ariail, D. L. (2020). A different approach to detecting fraud and corruption: A Venn diagram fraud model. Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting, 12(2), 241-260. Web.
Heissel, J. A., Sharkey, P. T., Torrats-Espinosa, G., Grant, K., & Adam, E. K. (2018). Violence and vigilance: The acute effects of community violent crime on sleep and cortisol. Child development, 89(4), 323–331. Web.
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Morris, J. S. (2018). Evaluating turnaround strategies to increase student academic performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey School District (Publication No. 10743976) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Delaware]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Ong, V. (2021). Springwood avenue rising: race, leisure, and decline in the 1970 Asbury Park uprising. NJS: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 7(1), 250-329. Web.
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Shepley, M., Sachs, N., Sadatsafavi, H., Fournier, C., & Peditto, K. (2019). The impact of green space on violent crime in urban environments: an evidence synthesis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 1-19. Web.
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