Newark LED Streetlights Linked to Crime Drop

A study finds outdoor violent crime fell after the city replaced nearly 1,500 older streetlights with LEDs.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Property Crime

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single streetlight casting a pool of cool-white light on an empty wet road, in navy and cream. — Newark's replacement of nearly 1,500 older streetlights with LEDs was followed by a 46 percent drop in outdoor violent crime, a study found. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think better street lighting makes your neighborhood safer?

Newark, New Jersey replaced nearly 1,500 older streetlights with brighter LED versions between March 2019 and September 2021. Outdoor violent crime fell 46 percent in the first six months after the installation, according to a study published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.

Why it matters

The findings suggest that improved street lighting can reduce outdoor violence in the short term, offering cities a lower-cost tool for public safety. The drop did not last, indicating lighting alone may not sustain long-term crime reduction.

The study, published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, documents a 46 percent drop in outdoor violent crime in the first six months after the LED installation. Observers saw no strong sign that crime was displaced to other areas or to daytime hours.

The players

Journal of Quantitative Criminology

A peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research on criminology and quantitative methods in crime analysis.

The details

Newark replaced older high-pressure sodium streetlights with brighter, more energy-efficient LED versions, expecting better visibility to deter criminals. Researchers say streetlight improvements should be only one piece of larger strategies to combat crime.

March 2019: Newark's LED streetlight replacement project began.
September 2021: The streetlight replacement project concluded.

Legal Context

Peer-reviewed criminology research has increasingly tested environmental interventions such as street lighting as crime-reduction measures. The Newark findings add a city-scale data point to that research, while indicating that such gains may be temporary.

Residents in neighborhoods with brighter streetlights may notice improved visibility after dark. The findings suggest lighting upgrades can affect perceptions of safety on local streets.

The takeaway

Better street lighting may reduce outdoor violence in the short term, but researchers stress it works best alongside broader crime-prevention strategies. Residents should watch for whether gains last over time.