Renders contracts to provide criminal assistance unlawful; creates civil right of action for victims of certain criminal conduct.

This New Jersey bill (A 1404) makes contracts void where individuals or private companies conceal, alter, or destroy physical evidence to help a criminal avoid arrest - such as hiding a weapon or falsifying records in exchange for money or other compensation. It directly affects crime victims, who can now file civil lawsuits against those who made such agreements, independent of other legal remedies. The law allows victims to sue within five years of discovering the evidence concealment. It does not change criminal penalties for the original crime but creates a new civil right for victims to seek damages.