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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New Reentry Publications>>
- Study Finds Cost Savings in Mental Health Courts>>
- New Report on Juvenile Justice Indicators in New York State>>
- SAMHSA Launches Searchable Database of Evidence-Based Interventions for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders>>
- New York State Passes Civil Commitment Law for Sex Offenders>>
- International Association of Reentry Conference>>
- New Jersey Update: Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Assemblyman Barnes as Parole Board Chairman Nominee >>
New Reentry Publications
The Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center has released two new reentry publications: “Impact and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Maryland Reentry Partnership Initiative” and “Informing and Engaging Communities Through Reentry Mapping.” The Maryland study evaluates the impact of the Maryland Reentry Partnership Initiative (REP) on crime in Baltimore between 2001 and 2005 in order to test whether REP reduced the prevalence and incidence of criminal justice contact and analyze its cost effectiveness. The study found that REP clients committed fewer new crimes and that the initiative was cost-beneficial, returning $3 in benefits per dollar in new costs. The reentry mapping brief is designed to equip organizations with strategies for effectively disseminating local reentry-related mapping and analysis findings and engaging community members on the topic of reentry. The brief outlines key elements of the process, including enlisting the support and involvement of local stakeholders, developing a diverse and complementary set of dissemination methods, and presenting research findings strategically to create a foundation for positive community action.
Download “Impact and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Maryland Reentry Partnership Initiative”
Download “Informing and Engaging Communities Through Reentry Mapping”
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Study Finds Cost Savings in Mental Health Courts
According to a new RAND Corporation study, “Justice, Treatment, and Cost: An Evaluation of the Fiscal Impact of Allegheny County Mental Health Court,” courts that sentence mentally ill individuals convicted of misdemeanors and low-level felonies to treatment instead of prison have the potential to save taxpayers money. The study, conducted on behalf of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, is the first to look at the fiscal impact of mental health courts in the United States.
New Report on Juvenile Justice Indicators in New York State
Last week, the Vera Institute of Justice released a new report, “Widening the Lens: A Panoramic View of Juvenile Justice in New York State.” The report presents the state’s first-ever set of multi-agency juvenile justice indicators, identifying and calculating data in five areas of the juvenile justice system from arrest through disposition. Section I describes each of the five system areas, provides a synopsis of the indicators for each area, and highlights some initial observations revealed by 2004 data; Section II presents statewide aggregate juvenile justice indicators; and Section III provides local-level data for each of New York’s 62 counties.
SAMHSA Launches Searchable Database of Evidence-Based Interventions for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched a new searchable online database – known as the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) – to help local organizations and stakeholders make informed decisions about evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. Users can search the database via desired outcomes, target populations, and service settings. Details on each intervention include a brief descriptive summary, the types of outcomes achieved, the costs of implementing the intervention, and the complete contact information for the intervention developer.
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New York State Passes Civil Commitment Law for Sex Offenders
Last week, the New York State Legislature passed a bill that calls for the civil commitment of sex offenders. Under the bill’s provisions, convicted sex offenders would be detained in psychiatric hospitals after they have served their prison sentences. Nineteen other states currently have such laws; in all, approximately 2,700 men are being held involuntarily in civil commitment programs around the country. The legal basis for their confinement, affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1997, is treatment for a mental abnormality. In practice, however, criminologists and advocates have questioned the efficacy of the treatment and detainment these laws require. To date, there are no studies of civil commitment’s effectiveness in preventing new crimes.
Read New York Times three-part series and editorial
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International Association of Reentry Conference
The International Association of Reentry will host a conference, “Reentry: Recasting Corrections Locally, Nationally and Internationally,” on March 18-21 in Baltimore, Maryland. The featured speakers will be Christy Visher, Principal Research Associate, Urban Institute; Marc Mauer, Executive Director, Sentencing Project; and Peggy Burke, Principal, Center for Effective Public Policy. Sessions will include “Offender Reentry at the Local Level,” “Transition from Prison to Community Projects,” “Family Reunification & Domestic Violence,” and others.
Click here for more information and registration details
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NEW JERSEY UPDATE:
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Assemblyman Barnes as Parole Board Chairman Nominee
On March 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved
Assemblyman Peter J. Barnes’ nomination as Chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board. The full Senate is expected to vote on Assemblyman Barnes’ nomination on March 15.
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For more information about news or event sharing contact rgreenberg@njisj.org. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the New Jersey Reentry Digest, visit the subscription page.