Bill Text: NJ A321 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes pilot reentry court program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A321 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A321-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot reentry court program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a pilot reentry court program.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Administrative Office of the Courts, in consultation with the State Parole Board and the Department of Corrections, shall establish a six-year pilot reentry court program. The program shall provide an alternative to incarceration for offenders who would benefit from community treatment services.
b. The pilot reentry court program shall include at least three reentry court programs through the Superior Court, one in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall be responsible for administering the program and may employ a collaborative court model. Each reentry court shall be comprised of a defense attorney, a prosecutor, a parole officer, and treatment staff or case managers, and be led by a judge.
c. Participation in the pilot reentry court program shall be open to parolees or individuals on post-release community supervision who have violated their terms of supervision and have a history of substance abuse or mental health issues. Participants shall be assessed for their risk of reoffending and for their treatment needs. Participants shall attend regularly scheduled court sessions, at a minimum of one per month, to discuss adherence to the supervision and treatment plan and other program requirements. Participants shall remain in the program and receive case management, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and other services for a maximum of 16 months.
d. The reentry court may use graduated sanctions, such as admonishments, increased frequency of court sessions, and jail sanctions, to respond to noncompliant behaviors. The reentry court also may use incentives to reward and encourage progress.
e. Upon successful completion of the program, a reentry court may recommend a person's early discharge from parole.
2. a. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) a report, within 30 days following the 12th month after the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and annually thereafter for the duration of the pilot program. The annual report shall evaluate the performance of participants and the impact on the court's calendars and workload, and include recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
b. Pursuant to P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Administrative Office of the Courts shall prepare and submit to the Legislature and to the Governor: (1) an interim report, within 60 days following the 36th month after the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and (2) a final report, within 60 days following the 72nd month after the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The interim and final reports concerning the pilot program implemented pursuant to P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall include the findings and recommendations of the annual reports prepared pursuant to subsection a. of this section and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to amend, extend, or make permanent the reentry court program.
3. The Supreme Court of New Jersey may adopt court rules appropriate or necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment and shall expire upon submission of the final report to the Legislature.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a reentry court pilot program, to be administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and requires the AOC submit reports with recommendations to amend, extend, or make permanent the reentry court program.
Under the bill, the AOC, in consultation with the State Parole Board and the Department of Corrections, would establish a six-year pilot reentry court program. The program would provide an alternative to incarceration for offenders who would benefit from community treatment services.
The pilot reentry court program would include at least three reentry court programs in the Superior Court, one in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. Each reentry court would be comprised of a defense attorney, a prosecutor, a parole officer, and treatment staff or case managers, and be led by a judge.
The pilot reentry court program participants would include parolees or individuals on post-release community supervision who have violated their terms of supervision and have a history of substance abuse or mental health issues. Participants would be assessed for their risk of reoffending and for their treatment needs. Participants would be required to attend regularly scheduled court sessions, at least once a month, to discuss adherence to their supervision and treatment plan and other program requirements. Participants would remain in the program and receive case management, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and other services for up to 16 months. The reentry court may use graduated sanctions, such as admonishments, increased frequency of court sessions, and jail sanctions, to respond to noncompliant behaviors. Incentives may also be used to reward and encourage progress. Upon successful completion of the program, a reentry court may recommend a person's early discharge from parole.
The AOC would be required to prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature an annual report, within 30 days of each one-year period, evaluating the performance of participants and the impact on the court's calendars and workload, and making recommendations. The AOC would also submit an interim report, after the third year of the program, and a final report, within 60 days following the sixth and final year of the pilot program. The interim and final reports would make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to amend, extend, or make permanent the reentry court program. The Supreme Court of New Jersey may adopt court rules as appropriate or necessary.
