Crime Numbers
The New Jersey State Police publishes annual reports of crime statistics for all counties in the state. In its latest publication, Sussex County recorded 81 violent crimes and 1,177 property crimes in 2016. In contrast to the 2012 crime data for the county, both violent crime and property crime rates dropped by 2.4% and 35% respectively. A quick look at the 2016 Part I crimes for Sussex County shows that there were no murder, 12 rapes, 7 robberies, and 62 aggravated assaults. The county also recorded 233 burglaries, 902 larceny thefts, and 42 motor vehicle thefts in that year.
Sussex County’s most recent five-year crime trend indicates that rape (33.3%), aggravated assault (29.2%), and motor vehicle theft (20%) rates climbed between 2012 and 2016. On the other hand, murder (100%), robbery (66.7%), burglary (45.2%), and larceny (33.2%) rates fell in the same period.
Criminal Records
The Criminal Information Unit (CIU) of the New Jersey State Police offers both name- and fingerprint-based criminal history checks for the residents of Sussex County. Citizens can order name-based checks on anyone via CIU’s Criminal History Record Request online portal. Each check costs $20. The CIU also provides different types of fingerprint-based criminal history checks depending on the purpose of the request. Sussex County residents requiring personal criminal history checks can request these at electronic live scan centers within the county. Schedule an appointment with a local center by visiting the New Jersey-IdentoGo page or calling (877) 503-5981. Prior to this schedule, the individual is required to download and complete appropriate fingerprint form from the list below:
- Form A - (personal purpose);
- Form B - (personal purpose and notarized)
- Form C - (employment purposes- addressed to the applicant)
- Form D - (employment purposes – addressed to the employer)
Bring the completed form and a valid ID to the appointment. A fingerprint-based criminal history check costs $42.80 payable by card or electronic debit from a checking account. For further inquiries, contact the CIU by email or by calling (609) 882-2000 extension 2918.
Police reports for Sussex County are provided by the various local law enforcement agencies in the cities, boroughs, and towns where the events covered occurred. To obtain a copy of any incident report for municipalities under the jurisdiction of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, complete an Open Public Records Act Request form and return it to:
Custodian of Records
Sussex County Sheriff’s Office
39 High Street
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 579-0850
For events that happened in Newton City, the county seat, contact the Newton Police Department by submitting the completed records request form by fax or in-person to:
39 Trinity Street
Newton, NJ 07860
Phone: (973) 383-2525
Fax: (973) 383-0090
In compliance with New Jersey Megan’s Law law, the State Police makes available to the public the database of all sex offenders registered and living in the state. For information on registered sex offenders residing in Sussex County, search the Sex Offender Registry online by name or an address, zip code, or city in the county.
Jail Information
Sussex County's main jail is the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility managed by the Sussex Sheriff’s Office. The correctional facility is located at:
41 High Street
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 579-0875
Friends and family can deposit funds into inmates’ accounts over the phone by calling (866) 345-1884 or online at Access Corrections. Access Corrections charges a service fee, per transaction, based on the amount of money added. Alternatively, make a cash or card deposit at the jail’s lobby kiosk. This location is available 7 days a week between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Court Records
Sussex County trial court system is made up of a Superior Court, a Surrogate's Court, and 13 Municipal Courts. The Sussex County Superior Court is the county’s apex court with general jurisdiction over all types of cases, and with seven divisions based on each case type. These divisions include civil, criminal, family, finance, human, municipal, and probation. Below are the contact details of the courts in Sussex County:
Sussex County Superior Court
Sussex County Judicial Center
43-47 High Street
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 579-0675
Sussex County Surrogate's Court
3 High Street, Suite 1
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 579-0920
Andover Joint Municipal Court
134 Newton Sparta Road
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 383-4280 ext. 4
Frankford/Lafayette/Branchville/Sandyston/Walpack/Montague Joint Municipal Court
151 US Highway 206
Augusta, NJ 07822
(973) 948-4045
Franklin Borough Municipal Court
46 Main Street
Franklin, NJ 07416
(973) 827-9280 ext. 107
(973) 827-0922
Green Township Municipal Court
39 Trinity Street
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 383-3521 ext. 242
Hamburg Municipal Court
11 Orchard Street
Hamburg, NJ 07419
(973) 209-4545
Hardyston Municipal Court
149 Wheatsworth Road
Hardyston, NJ 07419
(973) 823-7038
Hopatcong Municipal Court
111 River Styx Road
Hopatcong, NJ 07843
(973) 770-1200 ext. 156
Newton Municipal Court
39 Trinity Street
Newton, NJ 07860
(973) 383-3521 ext. 242
Ogdensburg Municipal Court
14 Highland Avenue
Ogdensburg, NJ 07439
(973) 827-3895 ext. 3
Sparta Township Municipal Court
65 Main Street
Sparta, NJ 07871
(973) 729-3501
Stanhope Municipal Court
111 River Styx Road
Hopatcong, NJ 07843
(973) 770-1200
Vernon Township Municipal Court
21 Church Street
Vernon, NJ 07462
(973) 764-4737
Wantage/Sussex/Stillwater Joint Municipal Court
888 Route 23
Wantage, NJ 07461
(973) 875-7310
The Clerk of the Superior Court oversees the processing, filing, scanning and storing of the records of the Superior Court’s divisions. To view any court record, visit the appropriate courthouse in the county where the case was heard. Certified copies of the court records can be requested online by completing the New Jersey Judiciary Records Request Form. Mail the completed form to the relevant email address indicated on the form. The courts charge 5 cents per page for letter-size pages of court documents and 7 cents per legal-size page. There is an additional $15 fee per document for certified copies and $50 for exemplified records.
Vital Records
Divorce records for Sussex County are maintained at the Family Division of the local Superior Court. To obtain a certified copy of a divorce record, contact the Sussex County Clerk of Superior Court at the address provided above. Each copy costs $10.
The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry maintains all Sussex County marriage, birth, and death records from 1919 to the present. It charges $25 for the first copy of these vital records and $2 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Requests can be made online, by mail, or in-person. Online requests attract an additional $5 processing fee plus another $5 authentication/verification fee. To obtain a certified copy of a vital record in-person, visit the state’s Office of Vital Statistics and Registry at the address listed below or the nearest office of the local registrar in Sussex County. Bring along a valid ID, the applicable fee, and proof of relationship to the individual listed on the vital record. Note that the fees for copies of vital records vary by municipality in Sussex County.
New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
(609) 292-4087
The Vital Records Office is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For third-party pickup, complete the Delegation of Authority to Receive form for Marriage/Civil Union Records or Birth/Death Records. This form must be signed and dated in the presence of a Notary Public and the authorized individual must provide a valid ID.
