I know New Jersey very well. I lived in Holmdel for a while.
northern jersey, not sure if you looked lately, is completely paved. north of Elizabeth, or "Holy shit what's that fucking smell" is a small portion of the state, but it's definately it's most memorable.
Dude, you're going to try to compare nothing "New Jersey very well" to someone who has lived here all there life... right?
Holmdel is a completely different New Jersey. Its the shore atmosphere and South Jersey atmosphere. I rolled into Holmdel as a Junior and Senior is highschool for state running competitions and running "the bowl". The people in Holmdel looked at all us Bennies as aliens and acted like we were strangers. Its amazing what geographic location does for attitude.
North Jersey is virtually a part of NYC, its just the suburbs. Same is to be said about parts of PA like Stroudsburg.
You get past a certain point of Jersey and get into central and south jersey and its like an entirely new state - obviously the NYC influence isn't so great there.
I'm currently "seeing" a Tom's River girl that tears me apart jokingly for being from a completely different world. She calls me a benny, says I'm not a local, says that its the beach not the shore, etc., etc. Its just a different lifestyle.
My point was Byran really wasn't in that urban of area and myself and my good friends all survived it. He obviously brought a lot of heat on himself which is the center of his problem and not the location that he lives in.
Currently I'm South Jersey by Trenton and when the headlines of the Trenton Times are "Gang Problems in Trenton Boom!" and you live near the murder central of the country, Camden - I can see where you can have problems, but back home in North, NJ none of this shit is a problem.
Good luck Bryan, but remember its not just the location and if you want a new beginning you're going to have to change things about yourself as well.