Breakdown of Surveyed Residents Table 1. Table 2 discloses the results. It is not just one or two of these violent crimes that affect the West Side Park study area but the entire gamut of violent crime. According to the Newark Police Department, the drug problem in the Central Ward is pervasive. Drugs are sold on street corners, out of abandoned buildings, from porches, in the park, and in the schools.
Addiction leads to crimes such as burglaries, robberies, domestic violence, and prostitution.
Turf wars between drug dealers lead to shootings and assaults. As noted by survey responses, the result of this activity is a greatly reduced quality of life for all residents. One resident of Corinthian had her car stolen twice from the parking lot located ten feet away from the back of her home. Residents point out that many stolen cars are driven through West Side Park, endangering anyone who happens to be using the park. Another finding was that in West Side Village 66 percent of residents surveyed perceived loitering as a problem in their community.