Establishes new mitigating factor, reduced sentencing, and resentencing for certain defendants who are victims of abuse.

This bill (S 2878) amends New Jersey sentencing law to add a new mitigating factor for defendants convicted of crimes who were victims of substantial physical, sexual, or psychological abuse that contributed to their offense. It directly affects individuals convicted of non-murder offenses (excluding certain sex offenses) who can demonstrate their abuse was a contributing factor to their crime. The key provision requires courts to consider this abuse history during sentencing, regardless of whether the defendant raised it as a defense. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.328.