Criminal Justice (Violent Crime) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 867: Establishes "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law.

This bill (A 867) establishes a "Stand Your Ground" law in New Jersey, removing the duty to retreat when defending one's home or vehicle. It allows individuals to use force (including deadly force) without retreating if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death, serious harm, or a violent crime (like assault, robbery, or murder). The law presumes a reasonable fear of danger when someone unlawfully enters a home or vehicle, though this presumption does not apply if the defender is committing a crime or if law enforcement is entering properly. It repeals the existing self-defense law (N.J.S.2C:3-6).

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3272: Upgrades assault on crossing guard, parking attendant, or uniformed employee of municipal parking authority to aggravated assault.

This bill (A 3272) upgrades assaults against uniformed crossing guards and municipal parking attendants to aggravated assault under New Jersey law. It directly affects these workers by making it a more serious crime to assault them while they are clearly identifiable in their duties. The key mechanism adds specific language to the state’s aggravated assault statute (N.J.S. 2C:12-1), explicitly including "any uniformed crossing guard" and "any parking attendant or uniformed employee of a municipal parking authority" in the list of protected individuals. This change increases penalties for such assaults, aligning them with protections already extended to police, firefighters, and other public safety workers. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Policing Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4169: Clarifies that encouraging another person to cause bodily injury, by filming, photographing, or otherwise recording injury-causing act, is form of crime of endangering injured victim.

This bill clarifies that encouraging someone to cause bodily injury - including by filming, photographing, or recording the act - is a criminal offense under New Jersey's "endangering an injured victim" law. It directly affects individuals who record violent acts without intervening or seeking help for the victim. The key change explicitly adds filming or recording as a form of "encouragement" that constitutes the crime, which was previously unclear. The offense remains a third-degree crime punishable by up to five years in prison or a $15,000 fine, without merging with convictions for the underlying assault.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Corrections Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 2, 2026

S 3714: "Justice for Firefighter Patrick Thomas Act"; requires person convicted of certain crimes or offenses to become ineligible for appointment to position covered by Civil Service and to lose pension and benefits acquired through position.

S 3714, the "Justice for Firefighter Patrick Thomas Act," bars individuals convicted of specific crimes from civil service positions covered by New Jersey's Title 11A (including firefighters, police, and other government roles) and requires immediate termination for current employees who commit these offenses. It mandates termination and forfeiture of pensions/benefits for convictions related to bias crimes, domestic violence, theft over $10,000, bribery, perjury, sexual assault, or other listed offenses (e.g., N.J.S.2C:20-4, N.J.S.2C:27-2). Courts must order termination upon conviction or guilty plea, with limited exceptions for "good cause" stays. The law applies to all state civil service positions and takes effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Policing Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1075: Requires fees for certain firearms permit applications be deposited into General Fund rather than VCCO account.

Bill A-1075 would change where fees for certain firearm permits are deposited. Currently, fees paid by applicants for handgun purchase permits and firearms purchaser identification cards go into the Violent Crime Control and Enforcement (VCCO) account. This bill redirects those fees into the state’s General Fund instead. It directly affects individuals applying for these firearm permits who pay the associated fees. The change applies to the specific permit types covered under New Jersey Statutes 2C:58-3 and 2C:58-4.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Firearms Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4223: Permits, under certain circumstances, person adjudged juvenile delinquent to expunge record for act which would have constituted robbery if committed by adult.

This bill allows juveniles adjudged delinquent for acts that would have been robbery under adult law to expunge their records, provided the act did not involve bodily injury, force against another, or use of a deadly weapon. It directly affects youth in New Jersey who committed non-violent robbery-like offenses as minors. The key provision amends expungement law to create an exception for these specific juvenile robbery cases, which are currently ineligible for expungement under general rules. The change applies only to cases without violence or weapons, aligning juvenile expungement eligibility with the standard for adult robbery offenses that typically cannot be expunged.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2021: Makes it aggravated sexual assault or sexual contact for transportation network company or taxicab driver to commit act of sexual penetration or sexual contact using coercion or without permission on passenger.

This bill amends New Jersey law to specifically criminalize sexual assault by transportation drivers against passengers. It creates a new aggravating factor for sexual assault (making it a first-degree crime) when a taxi or ride-share driver commits sexual penetration or contact using coercion or without the passenger's permission. The law directly affects drivers of transportation network companies (like Uber/Lyft) or taxicabs and their passengers. Violators face 25 years to life imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault, significantly increasing penalties compared to standard sexual assault charges. The change applies only when the victim is a passenger, not when the victim is a driver or in other contexts.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2827: Requires schools to report certain assaults to law enforcement.

This bill (A 2827) requires New Jersey public schools to report student-on-student assaults to police. Specifically, school employees must notify principals when a student allegedly assaults another on school property, a school bus, or at a school event; principals must then immediately report the incident to law enforcement. The bill defines "assault" as intentionally or recklessly causing bodily injury (per NJ law) and specifies "law enforcement agency" to include local police departments. It directly affects all public schools in New Jersey by mandating this reporting process for certain incidents.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 345: Increases penalties for assault and harassment against sports officials and participants under certain circumstances.

This bill (A-345) amends New Jersey's assault law to specifically increase penalties for assaulting sports officials and participants during sporting events. It adds a new category to the definition of "aggravated assault" under N.J.S.2C:12-1, making it a more serious offense to harm someone acting as a sports official (like referees) or participant (like athletes) while they are clearly performing their duties. This change directly affects individuals who commit such assaults, raising the legal consequences from simple assault to aggravated assault. The policy change is purely procedural, expanding the list of protected individuals under existing assault statutes without altering penalty levels for other offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1926: Upgrades assault on victims who are disabled.

This bill amends New Jersey's assault statute to elevate certain assaults against specific healthcare workers to aggravated assault. It directly affects direct care workers at State or county psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, or veterans' homes who are clearly performing their duties. The key provision (added as subsection b(5)(k)) makes it aggravated assault to intentionally cause bodily injury to these workers while they're identifiable in their roles, increasing penalties. The law does not cover disabled individuals as victims but protects the workers who support them. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Judiciary Committee after introduction on January 13, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Mental Health

All criminal justice bills