Sen. Sandra Cunningham of Jersey City proposes bills to reform justice system

Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 3:22 PM
By The Jersey Journal


State Senator Sandra Cunningham has proposed legislation designed to help some non-violent offenders get out of prison and get the help they need to get jobs.

TRENTON -- At a news conference at the Statehouse on Friday, Senators Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Raymond J. Lesniak announced a package of bills they are introducing to make it easier for some non-violent offenders to get out of a prison and overcome barriers to getting jobs.

"This is a matter of fairness and fiscal sense for nonviolent offenders currently serving in the criminal justice system, and a matter of public safety for the rest of the State of New Jersey," said Cunningham, D-Hudson.

"Under the current system, nonviolent offenders are warehoused with violent offenders, and often learn to become better criminals, rather than receive treatment for substance abuse that they so desperately need, added Cunningham, who represents Bayonne and the southern part of Jersey City.

"These four bills will ensure that we direct our corrections spending to make a difference in the lives of nonviolent offenders, and that we ensure access to a job and the opportunity to support themselves upon release."

Among the bills that the Senators introduced are:

* S-907 - a bill that would require the State Parole Board to release offenders at the time of parole eligibility, unless the offender has committed a serious disciplinary infraction while incarcerated or has not participated in rehabilitation programs offered in prison.

* S-881 - a bill that amends the existing statute to give judges and prosecutors additional discretion to admit certain offenders into a "drug court" program to emphasize substance abuse treatment over incarceration

* S-876 - a bill that amends the liquor licensing law to allow licensees to employ ex-offenders without a special permit. Currently, licensees have to get the permission of the State to employ ex-offenders

* S-878 - a bill that would prohibit public and private employers from automatically disqualifying ex-offenders from employment.

"The four bills we are announcing today are designed to reduce waste and inefficiency in our criminal justice system and redirect resources to better protect the public by reducing repeat offenses," said Lesniak, D-Union.

"We have asked that these bills be moved in both houses prior to the budget break, so we can get on with changing our criminal justice system to make it more cost effective and to provide better safety to our residents."

Gov. Chris Christie recently called for an expansion of the state's "drug court" program as a sentencing option for some offenders.