NEWARK, NJ — A startling increase in student absenteeism among Newark’s youth is coinciding with a surge in criminal activities such as robberies, break-ins, and vehicle thefts across New Jersey suburbs, a recent study reveals. Nearly one in five Newark teens and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither attending school nor working, marking a rate nearly double that of the state and significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The report, a collaboration between the Newark Opportunity Youth Network and Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council, highlights stark disparities in disengagement rates among different racial and ethnic groups in the city. Black youth in Newark experience the highest disconnection rate at 22.3%, followed by Latino youth at 16.9%, and white youth at 9.1%. The most affected areas include Newark’s South Ward and parts of the East Ward, specifically in ZIP codes 07114 and 07106, where about 25% to 33% of the city’s disconnected youth reside.
These disengaged young people, often grappling with violence, unstable home lives, trauma, and poverty, are drifting away from educational and workforce opportunities, which can increase their likelihood of involvement in criminal activities. The correlation between increased absenteeism and rising crime among Newark’s youth suggests that disconnection from stable environments may push some towards illegal behaviors as a means to cope or survive.
In response to the growing crisis, Newark city and public school leaders have inaugurated a reengagement center targeting at-risk students. Moreover, at the state level, Governor Phil Murphy recently signed The Disconnection Prevention Bill, which aims to establish an ombudsperson and a task force dedicated to analyzing and preventing youth disconnection.
These measures reflect a concerted effort to reverse the troubling trends and provide Newark’s youth with better opportunities and support systems to reintegrate into educational and economic frameworks, ultimately aiming to reduce the incidence of crime stemming from youth disengagement.