Camden rally offers comfort in light of high crime
On Monday night, those who love one of the country’s most-troubled cities, will gather at Roosevelt Park across from Camden City Hall. The group will remember victims of violence in the ailing New Jersey city.
Organizers of the gathering say even though Camden’s crime problem is not new, victims and their families still deserve to be comforted.
“My name is Father Jud Weiksnar, and I’m pastor of St. Anthony of Padua parish in Camden.”
Weiksnar said it could help to better coordinate re-entry programs, especially for young men coming out of prison. He said there hasn’t been sufficient outcry about Camden’s plight.
“The second week in July the murder rate here in Camden per capita was so high that if we had we had been New York City there would have been over 600 murders in one week. If that happened in New York City you would have the Governor, probably the President of the United States stepping in to say, ‘What do we need to do to help?'”
Weiksnar said he’s worried about the well-being of young people who have witnessed violence.
Camden is on pace to set a new record for homicides this year – the highest since 1995.
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