2003 and Irvington, New Jersey

Newark, which always has the largest share of the county's slayings, had 85 killings in 2003, including two on New Year's Eve. The 85 marks an increase from the previous year's total of 68, but it does not stand out in the past decade as one of the most violent years in New Jersey's largest city.

The big jump in the county's homicide rate last year was driven by a wave of violence in Irvington and East Orange, which each had their highest totals since the state began publishing crime statistics in 1967.

Irvington had 27 slayings, compared with 15 in 2002 and six in 1998, according to the prosecutor's office.