This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Corrections (DOC) to offer reunification therapy sessions to inmates scheduled for release within six months, and to inform those with nine months until release about this option. The therapy sessions must involve the inmate participating virtually while immediate family members attend in person at approved locations like mental health provider offices or nonprofit reentry centers. If family members decline to participate, the DOC must still provide individual counseling to the inmate. The bill also mandates DOC to seek supplemental funding from private or federal sources and provide inmates with information about post-release support programs.
This bill requires New Jersey correctional facilities to provide family planning services to female inmates at least 10 days before their release. It amends the 2009 "Fair Release and Reentry Act" by adding family planning services as a mandatory provision for female inmates, alongside existing requirements like medical discharge summaries and reentry program information. The law aims to support female inmates' health and successful community reintegration by ensuring access to reproductive health services prior to release. This requirement applies to all female inmates in state correctional facilities, with services to be provided in a manner consistent with clinical guidelines.
This New Jersey bill amends juvenile justice laws to modify when courts may incarcerate minors. It creates a presumption against incarceration for first-time offenders committing minor crimes (fourth degree or less), requiring courts to consider specific aggravating factors (like prior offenses or severe harm) and mitigating factors (like youth under 14 or lack of prior record). The bill also sets maximum incarceration terms based on adult crime equivalents (e.g., 1 year for fourth-degree offenses) and mandates parole considerations with specific representation rules for juveniles. It directly affects juvenile defendants in New Jersey facing delinquency charges, particularly those with no prior record for minor offenses. The bill is pending in the Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee.
This bill prohibits students convicted of or adjudicated for certain sexual assaults (including aggravated sexual assault or sexual contact) from attending the same school building as their victim or riding the same school bus used by the victim. It directly affects public school students in grades K-12 who commit these offenses and are sentenced by a court. The key mechanism requires courts to mandate these prohibitions as part of sentencing, probation, or other legal dispositions. The policy change ensures physical separation between the offender and victim within school facilities and transportation.
This bill criminalizes squatting in vacant homes by creating three new offenses: "housebreaking" (forcibly entering without permission to live there), "unlawful occupancy" (living in a vacant home without permission), and "unlawful reentry" (returning after being evicted via court order). It presumes people know they lack permission unless they have a notarized rental agreement with the owner's contact details. The law directly affects individuals occupying vacant properties without legal authorization, making these acts fourth-degree crimes punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. The bill aims to replace current eviction processes with criminal penalties for unauthorized occupancy.
This bill increases penalties for knowingly harboring or concealing a sex offender who has not complied with New Jersey's registration requirements under Megan's Law. It requires a minimum prison term without parole eligibility for anyone who shelters such an offender, with parole ineligibility lasting three years for a third-degree offense (3-5 years prison) or one year for a fourth-degree offense (up to 18 months prison). The law specifically targets individuals who knowingly aid sex offenders avoiding registration, raising the offense level from a potential disorderly persons charge to a serious criminal penalty. This directly affects people who provide shelter or assistance to non-compliant sex offenders.
This bill (A 3815) proposes to reclassify burglary of a residence. It upgrades burglary of a dwelling or structure adapted for overnight accommodation to a second-degree crime (currently third degree in most cases), and further upgrades it to a first-degree crime if the perpetrator is armed with a weapon or explosives. The change directly affects individuals committing burglaries in homes or similar living spaces, increasing penalties: second-degree burglary carries 5-10 years in prison, while first-degree burglary (with weapons) carries the same term. The bill also aligns sentencing for these offenses with a new requirement that 85% of the sentence must be served before parole eligibility. This is a proposed legislative change, not yet enacted.
This bill (A 219) changes New Jersey law regarding drug-related deaths involving minors. It makes distributors of certain Schedule I/II drugs (like methamphetamine or LSD) strictly liable for deaths caused by those drugs when the victim is under 18, imposing life imprisonment without parole if the drugs were in quantities of one ounce or more. It also automatically waives juvenile court jurisdiction for offenders aged 15 or older who caused such deaths, sending them directly to adult court. The bill affects drug distributors whose actions result in the death of a minor under 18, with no defense available for the victim’s own drug use or consent. The bill was introduced on January 13, 2026, and referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
This bill allows defendants on probation or suspended sentences to earn earlier release by complying with court conditions. For every full month of compliance, their sentence is reduced by 30 days, with courts reviewing eligibility every six months. However, individuals convicted of specific serious offenses - including certain sex crimes against minors, child endangerment, or kidnapping - remain ineligible for these reductions. The bill also requires the state to track recidivism rates to assess how this policy affects reoffending. It amends New Jersey's criminal sentencing laws (N.J.S.2C:45-2 and 2C:45-3) to implement these changes.
This bill requires life imprisonment without parole for anyone convicted of murder committed while committing specific sex offenses (like rape or sexual assault under N.J.S.2C:14-2 or 2C:14-3), regardless of the victim's age. It directly affects defendants convicted of such murders by eliminating the prior requirement that the victim be under 18. The key provision amends New Jersey's murder statute to mandate life without parole for these cases, overriding existing sentencing options. This change applies to all victims of these sex offense-related murders, not just minors, and does not create new offenses - only modifies sentencing for existing murder charges meeting these criteria.
