Bill Text: NJ S1702 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires court to provide certain defendants with referral for mental health and substance abuse evaluation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S1702 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1702-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator DECLAN J. O'SCANLON, JR.
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires court to provide certain defendants with referral for mental health and substance abuse evaluation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning pretrial release and amending P.L.2014, c.31.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-17) is amended to read as follows:
3. Except as otherwise provided under sections 4 and 5 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-18 and C.2A:162-19) concerning a hearing on pretrial detention, a court shall make, pursuant to this section, a pretrial release decision for an eligible defendant without unnecessary delay, but in no case later than 48 hours after the eligible defendant's commitment to jail.
a. The court shall order the pretrial release of the eligible defendant on personal recognizance or on the execution of an unsecured appearance bond when, after considering all the circumstances, the Pretrial Services Program's risk assessment and recommendations on conditions of release prepared pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-25), and any information that may be provided by a prosecutor or the eligible defendant, the court finds that the release would reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process.
b. (1) If the court does not find, after consideration, that the release described in subsection a. of this section will reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, the court may order the pretrial release of the eligible defendant subject to the following:
(a) the eligible defendant shall not commit any offense during the period of release;
(b) the eligible defendant shall avoid all contact with an alleged victim of the crime;
(c) the eligible defendant shall avoid all contact with all witnesses who may testify concerning the offense that are named in the document authorizing the eligible defendant's release or in a subsequent court order; and
(d) any one or more non-monetary conditions as set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(2) The non-monetary condition or conditions of a pretrial release ordered by the court pursuant to this paragraph shall be the least restrictive condition, or combination of conditions, that the court determines will reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, which may include that the eligible defendant:
(a) remain in the custody of a designated person, who agrees to assume supervision and to report any violation of a release condition to the court, if the designated person is able to reasonably assure the court that the eligible defendant will appear in court when required, will not pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community, and will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process;
(b) maintain employment, or, if unemployed, actively seek employment;
(c) maintain or commence an educational program;
(d) abide by specified restrictions on personal associations, place of abode, or travel;
(e) report on a regular basis to a designated law enforcement agency, or other agency, or pretrial services program;
(f) comply with a specified curfew;
(g) refrain from possessing a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapon;
(h) refrain from excessive use of alcohol, or any unlawful use of a narcotic drug or other controlled substance without a prescription by a licensed medical practitioner;
(i) undergo available medical, psychological, or psychiatric treatment, including treatment for drug or alcohol dependency, and remain in a specified institution if required for that purpose;
(j) return to custody for specified hours following release for employment, schooling, or other limited purposes;
(k) be placed in a pretrial home supervision capacity with or without the use of an approved electronic monitoring device. The court may order the eligible defendant to pay all or a portion of the costs of the electronic monitoring, but the court may waive the payment for an eligible defendant who is indigent and who has demonstrated to the court an inability to pay all or a portion of the costs; or
(l) satisfy any other condition that is necessary to reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, which shall not include any prohibition or restriction concerning manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing, or possessing or having under control with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, marijuana or hashish in violation of paragraph (12) of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:35-5, or possession of marijuana or hashish in violation of paragraph (3) of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:35-10.
c. (1) If the court does not find, after consideration, that the release described in subsection a. or b. of this section will reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the court may order the pretrial release of the eligible defendant on monetary bail, other than an unsecured appearance bond. The court may only impose monetary bail pursuant to this subsection to reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance. The court shall not impose the monetary bail to reasonably assure the protection of the safety of any other person or the community or that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, or for the purpose of preventing the release of the eligible defendant.
(2) If the eligible defendant is unable to post the monetary bail imposed by the court pursuant to this subsection, and for that reason remains detained in jail, the provisions of section 8 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-22) shall apply to the eligible defendant.
d. (1) If the court does not find, after consideration, that the release described in subsection a., b., or c. will reasonably assure the eligible defendant's appearance in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, the court may order the pretrial release of the eligible defendant using a combination of non-monetary conditions as set forth in subsection b. of this section, and monetary bail as set forth in subsection c. of this section.
(2) If the eligible defendant is unable to post the monetary bail imposed by the court in combination with non-monetary conditions pursuant to this subsection, and for that reason remains detained in jail, the provisions of section 8 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-22) shall apply to the eligible defendant.
e. For purposes of the court's consideration for pretrial release described in this section, with respect to whether the particular method of release will reasonably assure that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process, this reasonable assurance may be deemed to exist if the prosecutor does not provide the court with information relevant to the risk of whether the eligible defendant will obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process.
f. Upon ordering the pretrial release of an eligible defendant under this section, the court shall provide the eligible defendant with a referral for a psychological or psychiatric evaluation and an evaluation for drug or alcohol dependency. The provider of the evaluation shall notify the court if the eligible defendant completes the evaluation.
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply when the court orders the pretrial release of an eligible defendant subject to the condition that the defendant undergo available psychological or psychiatric treatment, including treatment for drug or alcohol dependency, and remain in a specified institution if required for that purpose pursuant to subparagraph (i) of paragraph (2) of subsection b. of this section.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.19, s.7)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the court to provide certain defendants with a referral for a mental health and substance abuse evaluation.
Under current law, if certain conditions are met, the court is required to order the pretrial release of certain defendants.
Under the provisions of this bill, upon ordering the pretrial release of a defendant, the court is to provide the defendant with a referral for a psychological or psychiatric evaluation and an evaluation for drug and alcohol dependency. The provider of the evaluation is to notify the court if the defendant completes the evaluation.
However, under the bill, the court is not required to provide a referral when the court orders the pretrial release of an eligible defendant subject to the condition that the defendant undergo available psychological or psychiatric treatment, including treatment for alcohol or drug dependence, and remain in a specified institution if required for that purpose.
