2013 ended with a total of 111 murders in Newark, with the South Ward being the most violent ward in the city. Since 2010 crime is up 70% in the ward. Not coincidentally, the layoff of over 170 police officers also occurred under his watch. 

As the third highest ranking in the Attorney General’s office, Shavar served as an integral leader in the design and implementation of the statewide crime plan that reduced crime three years in a row.

Shavar has a comprehensive public safety strategy. The Jeffries Plan for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods is filled with bold and innovative initiatives that have been proven to be effective and net results. This plan sets forth 22 key elements, and essential Policy initiatives to support implementation. Its focus primarily covers 3 major areas; Prevention, Enforcement and Re-Entry. Among the highlights of the areas are:

Prevention

• Pre-trial reform
• Expanded Pre-Offense Drug and Mental Health Treatment
• Child and Family Mentoring and Parent Coaching
• Expanded After-School and Summer Opportunities
• Pursuit of Innovative Pay for Success Models to Support Proven Programs While Reducing Taxpayer Risk for Failed Programs
• Coordinated, Streamlined, Transparent and Evidence Based Funding

Enforcement

• Targeted Focus on Crimes and Violence Prevented, Instead of Arrests Made, Search Warrants Executed, and Drugs Seized
• Relentless Focus on Those Individuals Most Responsible for Crime
• Creation of a Special Violent Crime Task Force to Target the City’s Most Violent Offenders
• Closing Open Air Drug Markets and Aggressive Pursuit of Illegal Guns
• Target Operations Focused on Street and Drug Gangs that Prey Upon Our Children
• Federal, State and Local Task Force on Gangs
• Launch of State-of-the-Art “Real-Time” Crime Prevention Data and Intelligence Center

Re-Entry

• Effective, Aggressive Interventions for Offenders on Probation for Drug Offences
• Expanded Vocational and Educational Programs, both Pre-and Post-Release, to provide Re-Entering Offenders with Job Training, Certification, and Job Placement
• Re-Establishing the One Stop Re-Entry Centers
• Intensive, Best-in-Class Customer Service and Case Management through the City One Stop
• Expanding Parent Programs Focused on the Reunification Challenges Posed by Incarceration
• Effective Juvenile Re-Entry
• Legal Support for Barriers Affecting Re-Entry