Did you know that 70,000 people will return from state prison to their New Jersey communities over the next 5 years? For more facts about reentry in New Jersey,
download the fact sheet
[PDF: 135KB/1Page]
Civil Consequences of
Criminal Convictions in New Jersey:
Fact Sheets
Individuals leaving prison in New Jersey face many legal barriers to successful reintegration. To learn about specific restrictions in various areas, click on the links below.
The New Jersey Institute
For Social Justice, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE
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U.S. Prison Population Sets New Record>>
- Florida Governor's Ex-Offender Task Force Releases Final Report >>
- New Chief Justice Initiative on Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice>>
- Minnesota City Drops Mandatory Disclosure of Criminal Records in City Hiring>>
- Council of State Governments Announces New Justice Center>>
- Second Chance Act Update>>
- Reminder: John Jay Prisoner Reentry Institute Session on Women and Incarceration on December 15>>
- New Jersey Update: Needle Exchange Bill Passes Both Houses>>
U.S. Prison Population Sets New Record
According to the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics’ annual report, a record seven million people – one in every thirty-two U.S. adults – were in prison or jail, on probation, or on parole by the end of last year. Of the seven million, 2.2 million were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year; more than 4.1 million people were on probation; and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Prison releases are increasing but admissions are growing at a faster rate. The report found that racial disparities among prisoners persist: in the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent of black men (about 1 in 13) are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men.
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Florida Governor's Ex-Offender Task Force Releases Final Report
Florida’s Ex-Offender Task Force, created via executive order by Governor Jeb Bush in February 2005, has released its final report. The Task Force, which consisted of state officials, academics, and representatives from community-based organizations, was charged with improving the effectiveness of the State of Florida in facilitating the reentry of formerly incarcerated individuals into their communities so as to reduce recidivism. The report found that the majority of returning individuals in Florida “fail at leading law-abiding lives when they return home” and makes recommendations to improve reentry outcomes, divided into three groups: “The Prison Experience,” “Coming Home,” and “Organizing Reentry Reform Work.” Of the report’s fifteen recommendations, the Task Force Members identified their key finding as the need for the Department of Corrections to make successful reentry an explicit part of their mission and be measured accordingly.
New Chief Justice Initiative on Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice
As part of the Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative, which the Council of State Governments (CSG) coordinates with the National GAINS/TAPA Center, CSG has issued a request for applications from state supreme court chief justices who wish to establish (or have already established) a statewide task force on people with mental illnesses in the justice system. According to the project’s guidelines, participating chief justices will convene leaders from all three branches of state government to encourage them to develop statewide, cross-system strategies that will improve outcomes for people with mental illnesses in the justice system. CSG will provide technical assistance and funding support to four to six chief justices positioned to convene such a task force or build upon an existing task force that addresses criminal justice/mental health issues in their state. Applications, which will be considered only if submitted by or on behalf of the state’s chief justice, are due by January 11.
Click here for application and more information
Minnesota City Drops Mandatory Disclosure of Criminal Records in City Hiring
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota has decided to stop requiring job-seekers to state on their applications whether they have ever been convicted of a crime. According to Mayor Chris Coleman, the primary goal is to make sure the city does not discriminate against applicants with criminal records, which is prohibited under state law. Mayor Coleman ordered the city’s Department of Human Resources to investigate whether formerly incarcerated individuals have been discriminated against in city hiring practices in the past and said he would work with the private sector to encourage adoption of a similar policy. Under state law, people cannot be denied government jobs or state licenses needed to get a job in the private sector because of their criminal history, though an exception exists for jobs that relate directly to the crime committed and the law does not cover police officers and firefighters.
Learn about similar hiring policy changes in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco
Council of State Governments Announces New Justice Center
The Council of State Governments (CSG) has announced the launch of its new Justice Center, a national resource center on criminal justice policy. According to its mission statement, the CSG Justice Center will seek to assist policymakers from any state develop nonpartisan, consensus-driven strategies that address a wide range of public safety issues. A charter group of senior level state officials who shape criminal justice policy has been assembled until a permanent board of directors is named, including legislative leaders, judges, corrections administrators, juvenile justice agency directors, and law enforcement professionals.
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Second Chance Act Update
Despite an effort to move the Second Chance Act through Congress before the end of the 109th session, the legislation stalled in the Senate. The 109th Congress ended on December 8; all pending legislation needs to be reintroduced and co-sponsors gathered again in the 110th Congress, scheduled to begin in January. The Second Chance Act would provide demonstration grants to states, local jurisdictions, and nonprofits to address the employment, housing, education, and health needs of formerly incarcerated individuals as they seek to reintegrate into society. The legislation, H.R. 1704 in the House and S. 1934 in the Senate, currently has 114 House co-sponsors and 37 Senate co-sponsors.
Learn more about the Second Chance Act and download the bill
Reminder: John Jay Prisoner Reentry Institute Session on Women and Incarceration on December 15
As part of its Occasional Series on Reentry Research, on December 15 from 8:30am to 10:00am the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice will be hosting a session on women and incarceration. The featured speaker is Natasha Frost, Assistant Professor at Northeastern University’s College of Criminal Justice, with responses from Ann Jacobs, Executive Director of the Women’s Prison Association, and Vicki Lopez Lukis, Chairperson of Governor Bush’s Ex-Offender Task Force. The session will be held at John Jay College in New York City.
Download the flyer for details
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NEW JERSEY UPDATE:
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Needle Exchange Bill Passes Both Houses
After more than a dozen years of debate, the Legislature has passed a bill, known as the Bloodborne Disease Harm Reduction Act (S494/A1852), to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS among intravenous-drug users by funding needle exchange programs in six New Jersey cities. Governor Corzine, a strong supporter of the measure, said he would quickly sign the bill into law. The legislation’s key provision is the authorization of a $10 million needle exchange pilot program to be set up in each of the six designated municipalities. New Jersey is the only state in the country that does not allow drug users access to clean needles.
Read news coverage in the Star-Ledger and New York Times
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