Crime across America runs incredibly rampant, with Camden having been named in the past one of the most dangerous cities within America. But how does it stack up and compare now? 

According to crimegrade.org, Camden County is safer than 86% of counties, with the crime rate being 19.29 per 1,000 residents in a year. They also state that the northwest parts of Camden County see around 2,351 incidents per year while the southwest parts see only 157 per year. 

The cost of crime within Camden County according to crimegrade.org is around $145 million dollars, costing residents $263 dollars annually, which is $201 dollars less than the nation average.  

But does that mean Camden has become safer? Alec Olusa, a Game Development Major at Camden County College who lives in Camden, shared, “I’m actually quite surprised how crime has lowered lately. Despite living here all my life, this is my first time ever seeing Camden become even slightly more safe.” 

Olusa also stated that he was glad that things are becoming safer in Camden, since he mentioned how someone he was close with was concerned about entering Camden just to hang out with him, but hasn’t been as worried lately due to the recent safety precautions the Camden County Police Department has been taking recently. 

According to camdencounty.com, they stated how they have upgraded their systems within the Camden County Police Department as well as how they’ve connected with the community to help make safer environments.  

When asked about his opinion on the Camden County Police Department connecting with the community more, Olusa shared, “Community and police engagement has become a key factor in lowering the crime rate. More police are starting to engage with the community and are also meeting our safety needs.” 

Olusa also stated how it’s reassuring to know people can rely on the cops again. 

A graph found on neighborhoodscout.com shows violent crimes compared per 1,000 residents. It states that the crime rate for violent crimes within Camden is three times higher than the national median of four. And not only that, it is also six times higher than the average per 1,000 residents in New Jersey as a whole.

But, according to camdencounty.com, the crime rates have been lowering since 2024, with the first six months of 2025 having a 13% lower crime rate for total crimes committed. In the first six months of 2025, the number of violent crimes recorded was at an astounding 445, which is far better than 2012, which was at 999, proving just how much these rates are declining. 

With all these numbers and statistics, there comes the final question, is Camden safer? To answer that, Olusa comes back with this statement, “I feel more comfortable now that crime has lowered and people can finally feel safer in Camden. The community has been waiting for this day to come and our voices are finally being heard.” 

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“There’s no hidden costs, all of the costs to living in the dormitory here at the Rutger’s Camden Campus are listed on the contract.” This is something that Dr. Scheibler, Director for Residents Life and Housing Experience, has stated when asked for a word on the topic. 

According to Scheibler, living on campus gives you access to multiple student amenities which include but are not limited to computer labs, study centers, lounges, game rooms, and even free laundry. 

One major benefit that Scheibler has stated is that all students who live in the dorms get their own area to park, so parking is never an issue for them. 

The only downside that Scheibler shared was that they have a limited number of spaces, meaning anyone who wants to live on campus should get their housing applications done and turned in as soon as they open, which should be around mid spring of 2026. 

There are rules to living on campus which are designed to keep the peace of the dormitories, anyone interested can find the rules here. 

One issue Scheibler cited is how there aren’t many grocery stores nearby or even within Camden, “The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and the SGA are working on increasing resources. We also encourage students to attend these SGA meetings.”

Still, there are a variety of different areas and activities that students can utilize nearby. For instance, there’s the Camden Waterfront where the aquarium is located. 

According to Scheibler, the area where the dorms are located and the areas nearby are all safe, “There’s a strong security presence in the area, with not only Rutger’s police and security patrolling but also Camden City police and even the Delaware port authority around.” 

Romell Matias, a Biology major at Camden County College who lives off campus in the area states that living off campus gives you the experience of living either on your own or with a roommate, while also giving you the opportunity to essentially not have any interference towards anything you’re doing. 

Some downsides that Matias states are the costs and the chances of having a terrible roommate. Matias has also stated that working and studying at the same time while living off campus is rather difficult, “If it’s a full time job, you may need to inform them of your school schedule to prepare better since living on campus, you live directly next to the university, meaning you can get home immediately from class, but living off camps means you have to factor in different variables like traffic or how far you live overall.”

Those interested in renting out a dorm room can do so on the housing website. 

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With the rising costs of gas and the underlying risks of not arriving entirely when using public transportation, Rutgers-Camden students are on the fence about whether they should take public transportation or drive to campus. 

English student at Rutgers-Camden, Julien Moral had this to say when asked his opinion on the advantages of driving to campus a student, “I think it’s nice to have a place to keep your stuff while at class, so you don’t have to carry everything with you. It’s also nice for when you’re running late since I can just speed if I need to in my car which you can’t on public transportation.” 

Another student named Kemy Rodriguez, an English and Political Science major at Rutgers-Camden, shared that, “An advantage of driving is the freedom it gives you. You can reach places that you wouldn’t be able to reach through public transportation.”

As for the disadvantages of driving, Moral explained, “It is far more costly and also more risky since there’s a far bigger risk when compared to public transportation.”

Similarly, Rodriguez had this to say on the topic, “The disadvantage of driving is that it’s more dangerous statistically speaking and more expensive.”

Both of these students seem to think that the advantage of driving is the freedom to choose how fast or slow you want to go, essentially they prefer how much control you have over how fast or slow you get to your destination.

According to rpa.org, only 9% of residents living in NJ as of June 2025 take public transportation, but that still doesn’t mean benefits outweigh the costs that come with driving. 

When asked why he prefers public transportation so much, Rodriguez stated,“It’s better for the economy, and the environment. It is also safer than driving but the scope of where you can reach is much more limited.” 

Moral also commented on public transport, saying, “I think public transportation definitely has that aspect where you’re with a bunch of people that you don’t know and, especially for women, it’s a lot more uncomfortable based on what they’ve had to deal with in public transportation in the past and even just on the street outside of public transportation.” 

Mia Morris, an English and Criminal Justice major, explained her own perspective on public transport safety, “I’m always very wary, especially if I’m traveling alone because I’m an easy target due to the fact that I’m a woman. Women are always easy targets for things like sexual harassment or assault or even cat calling, but that’s just how society is.” 

For students interested in using public transport the most common routes used in travelling to Rutgers-Camden are the PATCO and the Riverline, which spans about 34 miles from Trenton Transit Center to the Entertainment Center in Camden, as well as numerous bus routes. 

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“I think it’s a good idea but I only take one class per day so I don’t think it’s necessary for me to take a free period.” This is a quote from an Art Education Major at Camden County College named Ariella when asked about her opinions towards the idea of free periods. This is what a student who does not attend Rutgers Camden thinks of free periods, but what about students at a college that has them required? At Rutgers Camden, free periods are a required part of any student or professor’s schedule, but why, and what do people even think about it?

A free period is a timeframe where lectures are not held to create a designated time where all students and professors are free. The things that people do during these free periods differ, with students being encouraged to eat lunch, attend club meetings, or hangout with peers. On Mondays and Wednesdays free periods are from 11:20am to 12:20pm while Tuesdays and Thursdays are from 12:45pm to 1:45pm. 

A Rutgers Camden student who wishes to remain anonymous commented: “I like the free periods because they build a set time for lunch, I don’t love how it changes everyday, especially how the Tuesday/Thursday free periods are later. But overall I do like it since it gives me time to hangout with my friends on campus between classes.” 

When asked what they think about the idea of picking when your free period is, the student had this to say “I prefer the free periods as they are right now because if people were to pick it, it would make having club meetings harder because some people in one club might have free periods on a specific day or time while others won’t.” 

Rutgers Camden is unique in its use of free periods, which do not occur on many other college campuses. This is due to Rutgers Camden being primarily a commuter college, meaning most people live off campus and take some sort of transportation here. This makes having a time where everyone can interact and rest essential, since some people might not have time after they arrive on campus to eat or catch up with friends. Many clubs hold their meetings during the free period, meaning students don’t have to stay on campus late into the evening. Most commuter students want to go home or get to wherever they need to after their classes. 

A quote from Mia, an English and Criminal Justice Major, explains what she thinks on the matter: “I love free period! I wish it was longer, it’s such a nice break in the day and is a good time to get to know the campus.” As the president of the English Club she also explains why she thinks it’s great for clubs, “This is my first semester as president and I do value free period because it gives me time to connect with my students during the school day.” 

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