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
- Bureau of Justice Statistics Report: The Number of U.S. Inmates Rises Two Percent Over the Past Year >>
- Women's Prison Association Report: Female Prison Population Grew 757 Percent in the Last Three Decades >>
- Community Service Society Hosts "Coming Home: A Series of Roundtable Discussions" on June 13 >>
- New York Court Indicates That Prison Residency Classification May Contribute to Vote Dilution >>
- Funding Support Available Through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program >>
- SSDP Report: "Harmful Drug Law Hits Home: How Many College Students Have Lost Their Financial Aid Due to Drug Convictions?" >>
- Joyce Foundation Selects MDRC to Evaluate Transitional Jobs Program for Ex-Prisoners >>
- Occasional Series on Reentry Research: "Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and American Democracy" on June 16 >>
New Jersey Legislative Update:
- State Parole Board Launches Program to Address the Needs of Mentally Ill Offenders in New Jersey >>
- Appellate Division Rules Admission into Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) Not Barred by Prior Diversions Outside of New Jersey >>
- NJISJ Job Opportunity: Reentry Policy Fellow, Prisoner Reentry Project >>
Bureau of Justice Statistics Report: The Number of U.S. Inmates Rises Two Percent Over the Last Year
A report by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed that prisons and jails added more than 1,000 inmates each week for a year, putting almost 2.2 million people, or one in every 136 U.S. residents, behind bars by last summer. Of particular note was the gain of 33,539 inmates in the country’s jail system, the largest increase since 1997. The report also shows that in the 25-29 age group, an estimated 11.9 percent of black men were in prisons or jails, compared with 3.9 percent of Hispanic males and 1.7 percent of white males.
Women's Prison Association Report: Female Prison Population Grew 757 Percent in the Last Three Decades
A new report commissioned by the Institute on Women & Criminal Justice finds that female imprisonment in the U.S. has skyrocketed 757 percent since 1977. Women are the fastest-growing segment of the prison population, surpassing male prison population growth in all 50 states. "The Punitiveness Report-HARD HIT: The Growth in Imprisonment of Women, 1977-2004" takes an in-depth look at female prison population growth patterns and regional trends, and it provides the first state-by-state analysis of female imprisonment from 1977 to 2004, with findings from all 50 states.
Community Service Society Hosts "Coming Home: A Series of Roundtable Discussions" on June 13
The Community Service Society will host "Coming Home: A Series of Roundtable Discussions" to address the issues faced by the formerly incarcerated such as: job placement; housing; reuniting with families; parole; and employment policies. Featured guests will be announced. The event will take place on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 from 1- 3 p.m. at 105 East 22nd Street at the corner of Park Avenue South in New York. Admission is Free. RSVP to Gabriel Torres-Rivera at grivera@cssny.org or 212.614.5306 by June 6.
New York Court Indicates That Prison Residency Classification May Contribute to Vote Dilution
In early May the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed two cases that sought to give persons incarcerated in New York the right to vote. However, the New York Times reports that "[the Court] did express interest in the argument that counting inmates in upstate [New York] dilutes the voting power of minority groups in urban districts." A District Court is now considering the argument and its impact on drawing legislative and Congressional districts. For years, New York has counted people who are incarcerated as residents of the districts where their prisons are located rather than residents of the mostly urban communities where they lived prior to their incarceration. Because of this Census Bureau policy, upstate rural districts receive increased representation. While an estimated 66 percent of people who are incarcerated come from New York City, 91 percent of them are imprisoned in upstate New York.
Funding Support Available Through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program is authorized by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004. Grants may be used to develop, implement and expand a wide variety of programs designed to improve collaboration between criminal justice and mental health systems. For more information on the grant program, including frequently asked questions about the application process, contact Robert Hendricks at 202-305-1909. The deadline for applications is June 2 at 8:00 pm.
SSDP Report: "Harmful Drug Law Hits Home: How Many College Students Have Lost Their Financial Aid Due to Drug Convictions?"
After winning a Freedom of Information Act case, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) obtained the number of college applicants - nearly 200,000 - who have been denied financial aid due to drug convictions, and released a state-by-state report entitled "Harmful Drug Law Hits Home: How Many College Students Have Lost Their Financial Aid Due to Drug Convictions?" The SSDP and the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law that strips financial aid from college students with drug convictions.
Joyce Foundation Selects MDRC to Evaluate Transitional Jobs Program for Ex-Prisoners
High rates of unemployment and recidivism among former prisoners have devastating effects on families, communities, and public budgets. The Joyce Foundation launched the Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration to test whether transitional jobs are an effective employment strategy. Joyce has selected MDRC to evaluate the demonstration using a random assignment design. The multiyear impact study will answer policy questions about whether transitional jobs help ex-prisoners connect to unsubsidized jobs, increase their earnings, and lower their chances of recidivism. Since 2004, MDRC has also been conducting a random assignment evaluation of the Center for Employment Opportunities prisoner reentry program in New York City, as part of the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration.
Occasional Series on Reentry Research: "Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and American Democracy" on June 16
The Occasional Series is designed to serve as a vehicle for disseminating emerging research and generating conversation to improve policy and practice within the field of prisoner reentry. On June 16, Professor Jeff Manza from Northwestern University will speak about his new book, "Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and American Democracy (2006)". Both of these events will take place at 8:30am in Room 630 of the main building of John Jay College (899 Tenth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Streets). RSVP to Debbie Mukamal at dmukamal@jjay.cuny.edu or 212 484 1327).
New Jersey Legislative Update:
State Parole Board Launches Program to Address the Needs of Mentally Ill Offenders in New Jersey
The New Jersey State Parole Board (SPB) has launched a first-in-the-state pilot program that addresses the special needs of mentally ill offenders who are released from prison. The Program for Returning Offenders with Mental Illness Safely and Effectively (PROMISE) is a residential supportive housing pilot program that will provide stable housing, mental health services, and other crucial wraparound services to the individuals selected.
Appellate Division Rules Admission into Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) Not Barred by Prior Diversions Outside of New Jersey
A May 24 Appellate Division decision in State v. McKeon makes it clear that the statutory bar to admission into PTI based upon a prior diversion from the criminal justice system only applies to diversions that occurred in New Jersey. In McKeon, the defendant sought diversion from a criminal charge in New Jersey through PTI. His application was denied based upon a prior diversion in Pennsylvania on a first offense DWI through that state's diversion program.
NJISJ Job Opportunity: Reentry Policy Fellow, Prisoner Reentry Project
The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice is seeking a Reentry Policy Fellow to help drive its continuing Prisoner Reentry Project. The Fellow will assist in the development of new advocacy initiatives and implement a diverse range of current projects. The position is described more fully in the attached job description.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, or for more information about news or event sharing send an email with name, email address and affiliation (if any) to acammett@njisj.org.