Figures show crime is up in Union County and residents are not surprised.

Union County prosecutor Ted Romankow has released figures showing violent crime up around 13 percent and non-violent crimes up 12 percent in the county. Many believe the sad shape of the economy is at least partially to blame.

Romankow agrees the recession is to blame for the overall crime increase in the county, but took shots at Elizabeth police's failure to crack down on gangs as another major factor.

"There is no intelligence unit gathering any information about gangs and there is a denial that gangs really exist," he says.

Elizabeth's police director disputes that the city isn't doing enough and says Romankow is bolstering his ego with those claims.