The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice is a non-partisan urban research and advocacy organization founded in 1999 by the Amy and Alan V. Lowenstein Foundation. Based in Newark, the Institute promotes the development of economically healthy and vibrant urban communities and challenges practices and policies that prevent urban New Jersey from achieving its full potential.
Click here for more info on the Institute's Reentry Initiative, as well as its other programs and publications: www.njisj.org
New Jersey Prisoner Reentry Fact Sheet
Previous Editions of the
NJ Reentry Digest:
NJ Reentry Digest:
The New Jersey Institute
For Social Justice, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE
- Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative Kicks Off "Operation Ceasefire"
- Bureau of Justice Statistics Reports Growth in Prison Population
- New Jersey District Court: Defendant Not Prejudiced by Alleged Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Regarding Immigration Consequences
- Drum Major Institute for Public Policy features Sheriff Michael Hennessey of San Francisco on "The Power of Restorative Justice"
- State Parole Board Sponsors Half-day Conference Focusing on Reentry in the Greater Paterson Region
- ETA Announces Availability of Grant Funding under Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offender program/Prisoner Reentry Informational Conferences
- New Jersey Legislative Update
Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative Kicks Off "Operation Ceasefire"
"Operation Ceasefire" will officially launch at a community celebration in Newark on May 11th. An extension of the Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative, the Newark/Irvington project is modeled after a successful Chicago initiative bearing the same name, which enlisted the involvement of the entire community to address the problem of gun violence. The five core components of the strategy are: criminal justice collaboration; outreach; clergy partnerships; community mobilization; and public education.
Bureau of Justice Statistics Reports Growth in Prison Population
The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a report on 2004 midyear inmate statistics which recorded the number of people held in U.S. prisons and jails at 2.1 million, a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year. According to the government's report, there were 726 inmates for every 100,000 U.S. residents, compared with 716 a year earlier. The report also estimates that nearly 60 percent of prison and jail inmates were racial or ethnic minorities; and that 12.6 percent of Black males in their late 20s were in prison, compared to 3.6 percent of Latino males and 1.7 percent of White males.
New Jersey District Court: Defendant Not Prejudiced by Alleged Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Regarding Immigration Consequences
A federal court rejected a New Jersey man's request to overturn his conviction because his guilty plea resulted in an order of deportation. He had been given incorrect legal advice regarding the immigration consequences of the plea, but the court stated he had not met his burden of showing that he would not have pled to the lesser charge anyway, given the multi-count indictment he faced.
Drum Major Institute for Public Policy features Sheriff Michael Hennessey of San Francisco on "The Power of Restorative Justice"
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy's "Marketplace of Ideas" series will feature San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessy; who has won widespread recognition for his innovative in-custody treatment programs, including Resolve to Stop the Violence (RSVP) which offers treatment for male offenders with violent histories, services to victims of violence and restitution to the community. The program will take place on May 16th at the Harvard Club in New York City.
State Parole Board Sponsors Half-day Conference Focusing on Reentry in the Greater Paterson Region
The New Jersey State Parole Board is holding its community strategies conference on May 11th at Passaic County Community College. This conference will gather leaders from the faith community, non-governmental organizations, and representatives from state, county and local government. Participants are asked to select from one of six panels: Faith-based Initiatives & Family Restoration; Illness, Addiction and Recovery; Two Keys to Success: Education and Employment; Housing and the Homeless Parolee; Treating the Mentally Ill Parolee; and Gang Reduction & Aggressive Supervised Parole. RSVPs are and panel selections are requested by May 6. Call (609) 777-0181 or email Renea.Rostas@spb.state.nj.us.
ETA Announces Availability of Grant Funding under Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offender program/Prisoner Reentry Informational Conferences
The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has announced the availability of approximately $15 million in Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offender grant funds to address the specific workforce challenges of youth offenders and to utilize strategies that prepare them for new and increasing job opportunities in high-growth/high-demand and economically vital industries and sectors of the American economy. Applications must be submitted by May 23. An April 22 FEDERAL REGISTER notice provides full background on this solicitation, including the five major areas of emphasis. This notice describes the content and form of the application, and details the Federal criteria for review. This notice and solicitation package (SGA/DFA PY-04-09; CFDA 17.261) will also be available through ETA's Solicitation for Grant Applications Web site. There will be three informational conferences held for the federal Prisoner Reentry Initiative: in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Washington DC.
New Jersey LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Upcoming Budget Hearings
Department of Law and Public Safety Senate Hearing:
May 9th at 10:00 am, Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
Hearings are open to the public. To offer testimony you must register at
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