Studies and Reports
WRI collaborates with community organizations, leaders, nonprofits, and foundations to advance research around critical issues affecting residents and communities. Additionally, WRI hosts forums and educational events to share this information and encourage dialogue and discussion of issues.
Strengthening Families Initiative EvaluationDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Madeliene Alger, Carla Villacis, Ross Whiting, October 2022
Commissioned by the Pascale Sykes Foundation, this report highlights findings from WRI’s ten-year evaluation of the Strengthening Families Initiative.
Inspira Health Community Health Needs Assessment for 2022-2024DescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Madeliene Alger, Kristin Curtis, Carla Villacis, October 2022
This report provides a summary of the findings of the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem Counties. The CHNA was conducted by The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs (WRI) at Rutgers University-Camden on behalf of Inspira Health.
Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives, New Jersey’s COVID-19 Storytelling ProjectDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Kristin Curtis, Devon Ziminski, Carla Villacis, Martha Carey, Kiersten Westley Henson, Helen Ard, MA, Richard Duran, Amanda Ekelburg, Trista Harig, Joseph Mendoza-Martinez, Mary Mitsdarffer, Lili Razi, Benjamin Rudolph, Ummulkhayer Sameha, Priyal Shah, Michelle Lyttle Storrod, October 2022
This report provides overview, context, and summarized findings from participants in New Jersey who shared their personal experiences as part of Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives, NJ’s COVID-19 Storytelling Project. The findings generated from the analysis reflect the most common themes experienced by nearly 600 participants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seeking Work in Southern New JerseyDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Devon Ziminski, Lili Razi, Shibin Yan, Richard Duran, October 2022
This report outlines the workforce development barriers and opportunities that both employers and job seekers face in the Southern New Jersey region.
Municipal Variation in COVID-19 Case Rates in New JerseyDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah R. Allred, Yuqi Wang, Aayush Yadav, Ryan Pletcher, Trista Harig, Benjamin Rudolph, Shwetal Sharma, Emily Rankin, Shibin Yan, Ummulkhayer Sameha, George Arthur, Sachin Saxena, Emily Greenfield, Community Organization and Development, April 2021
With the goal of providing information to aid these decisions, this brief describes the timeline of COVID-19 progression at the municipality-level across New Jersey.
Are South Jersey School Districts prepared for the next recession? All South Jersey school districtsDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Michael Hayes, PhD, Community Organization and Development, Updated October 2020
This study examines the current financial condition of school districts in southern New Jersey and also identifies those school districts that are most financially vulnerable to a potential economic downturn This follow up brief examines the financial status of all 179 school districts in southern New Jersey.
Are South Jersey School Districts prepared for the next recession?DescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Michael Hayes, PhD, Community Organization and Development, 2020
This study examines the current financial condition of the largest school districts in southern New Jersey and also identifies those school districts that are most financially vulnerable to a potential economic downturn.
Timing County Hospital Bed Shortfall during COVID-19DescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah R. Allred*^, Darren Spielman*, Kristin Curtis, Kristin Kelly, Sean T. McQuade^, Nathaniel J. Merrill,^ Benedetto Piccoli^, Ryan Pletcher, Shwetal Sharma, Carla Villacis, Ross Whiting, Aayush Yadav^, Doug Zacher, Devon Ziminski (* Corresponding authors, ^ Math modeling), 2020
This follow-up brief updates the previous COVID-19 model and predicts when demand for hospital beds will first surpass capacity in each of the 21 New Jersey counties based on responses to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Regional Health System Shortfalls with a Novel COVID-19 ModelDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah R. Allred, Sean T. McQuade, Nathaniel J. Merrill, Benedetto Piccoli, Darren Spielman, Carla Villacis, Ross Whiting, Aayush Yadav, Douglas Zacher, Devon Ziminski, 2020
Estimating when the peak need for hospital beds will occur, the number of available hospital beds in each county, and by how much the demand for hospital beds will exceed capacity in each county based on responses to the COVID-19 outbreak.
South Jersey Health Needs: Connections, Community, and CareDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah Allred, Ph.D., Population Health, 2019
Summarizing findings of the 2019 CHNA, WRI researchers released an important finding about health in South Jersey: residents’ physical and mental health are surprisingly strongly predicted by their connections to the people and places surrounding them.
CHNA: Executive SummaryDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah Allred, Ph.D., Population Health, 2019
Summarizing findings of the 2019 CHNA completed for the SOUTH JERSEY HEALTH COLLABORATIVE: Cooper University Health Care, Jefferson Health, Lourdes Health System, Virtua Health,Burlington County Health Department, Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, and Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services.
Camden County Police Department: Crime Analysis, Technical Assistance, and ConsultationDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Louis Tuthill, Ph.D., Principal Investigator; Tracy A. Swan, MPA, MCJ, Senior Project Administrator, Community Development, published 2020
In 2013, facing high levels of crime, Camden, New Jersey transferred policing responsibilities to their surrounding county agency. The Camden County Police Department (CCPD) received a grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) to explore the impact of this transition and identify lessons learned for other agencies. The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs (WRI) at Rutgers University conducted this assessment and provided technical assistance to the department. This publication reports their findings on topics including arrest and clearance rates, “hot spot” crime locations, citywide distribution of service calls, and the effects of camera surveillance, liquor establishment checks, foot patrols, and multijurisdictional task forces.
Community Health Needs AssessmentDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Sarah Allred, Ph.D., Population Health, 2019
CHNA report completed for SOUTH JERSEY HEALTH COLLABORATIVE: Cooper University Health Care, Jefferson Health, Lourdes Health System, Virtua Health,Burlington County Health Department, Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, and Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services in Camden, Burlington, Salem and Gloucester Counties.
Turning Toxic Liabilities into Community Assets: ReportDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Paul Smith, WRI; Wanda P. Hardy, Financial Wellness Institute; Theresa DiVietro, Land Dimensions Engineering; Jody Velez, Stand Up for Salem; Kimberly Ayers, Ph.D., Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Community Development, 2018
A report detailing the distressed housing market in South Jersey and potential solutions.
Our Piece of the PieDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Michael S. Hayes, Ph.D., 2018
A report detailing the distribution of municipal funds in New Jersey.
Is South Jersey Getting Its Fair Share of Public GoodsDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Shauna Shames, Ph.D., 2016
A report addressing the central question of whether South Jersey really does get fewer public goods, taking into account differences in population, tax revenue, and other key variables. detailing the distribution of municipal funds in New Jersey.
Housing in South Jersey: A Regional BriefDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by WRI, 2016
This brief is focused on the changes in housing prices and property taxes that have occurred in South Jersey from 2013 to 2014 and focuses on Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties. distribution of municipal funds in New Jersey.
South Jersey PARCC Results 2014-2015DescriptionDownload/View
Authored by WRI, 2016
Analysis of the South Jersey PARCC Results for the 2014-2015 school year and how school districts in South Jersey performed relative to their counterparts in North and Central Jersey.
South Jersey Health SnapshotDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by WRI, Population Health, 2016
Data from the County Health Rankings from the Robert Wood Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Changes Across the Region: People, Economy, and Well-Being ReportDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, Ph.D., Community Development, 2014
A report outlining provide a “picture” of the quality of life across counties in South Jersey.
Public Health Coalitions in South JerseyDescriptionDownload/View
Authored by WRI, Population Health, 2016
A summary of key findings from the literature on effective coalitions, methodological challenges in measuring effectiveness, and prominent public health coalitions in South Jersey.
Working Papers
These papers seek to expand knowledge and understanding of the issues impacting citizens across southern New Jersey. They are designed, researched and written by the WRI Public Papers Writing Group, a cohort of graduate students and research project staffers with expertise in subject areas including Public Affairs, Psychology, Education, Public Policy, and Public Health.
Planning, Evaluation and Technical Support
A critical piece of successful programming is ongoing evaluation. WRI partners with a wide range of local and regional organizations and municipalities to evaluate programs, services, initiatives, and resources working to advance public good. WRI is skilled in helping organizations and nonprofits better align for mission success and impact.
WRI Faculty Fellow Research
WRI Faculty Fellows are distinguished Rutgers University-Camden Faculty who focus their research on topics that impact the southern New Jersey region. Once completed, their research is presented as part of WRI’s ongoing forum series for South Jersey. Forums aim to create awareness, educate stakeholders and foster further discussion and research on issues relevant to the people of South Jersey.