STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Pou
SYNOPSIS
Upgrades crime of soliciting or recruiting for criminal street gang while on school property.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning criminal street gangs and amending P.L.1999, c.160.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1999, c.160 (C.2C:33-28) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. An actor who solicits or recruits another to join or actively participate in a criminal street gang with the knowledge or purpose that the person who is solicited or recruited will promote, further, assist, plan, aid, agree, or attempt to aid in the commission of criminal conduct by a member of a criminal street gang commits a crime of the fourth degree. For purposes of this section, the actor shall have the requisite knowledge or purpose if he knows that the person who is solicited or recruited will engage in some form, though not necessarily which form, of criminal activity. "Criminal street gang" shall have the meaning set forth in [subsection h. of N.J.S.2C:44-3] section 1 of P.L.2007, c.341 (C.2C:33-29).
b. An actor who, in the course of violating subsection a. of this section, threatens another with bodily injury on two or more separate occasions within a 30-day period commits a crime of the third degree.
c. An actor who, in the course of violating subsection a. of this section, inflicts significant bodily injury upon another commits a crime of the second degree.
d. Any defendant convicted of soliciting, recruiting, coercing or threatening a person under 18 years of age in violation of subsection a. [or], b. or g. of this section shall be guilty of a crime of the second degree.
e. An actor who violates subsection a. of this section while under official detention commits a crime of the second degree. As used in this subsection, "official detention" means detention in any facility for custody of persons under charge or conviction of a crime or offense, or committed pursuant to chapter 4 of this Title, or alleged or found to be delinquent; detention for extradition or deportation; mandatory commitment to a residential treatment facility imposed as a condition of special probation pursuant to subsection d. of N.J.S.2C:35-14; or any other detention for law enforcement purposes. "Official detention" also includes supervision of probation or parole, or constraint incidental to release on bail. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:44-5 or any other provision of law, the court shall order that the sentence imposed upon a violation of this section be served consecutively to the period or periods of detention the actor was serving at the time of the violation.
f. Any defendant convicted of soliciting, recruiting, coercing or threatening a person under 18 years of age in violation of subsection c. or e. of this section shall be sentenced by the court to an extended term of imprisonment as set forth in subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:43-7.
g. An actor who in the course of violating subsection a. of this section, does so on school property commits a crime of the third degree.
Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:1-8, N.J.S.2C:44-5 or any other provision of law, a conviction arising under this section shall not merge with a conviction for any criminal offense that the actor committed while involved in criminal street gang related activity, as defined in subsection h. of N.J.S.2C:44-3, nor shall the conviction for any such offense merge with a conviction pursuant to this section and the sentence imposed upon a violation of this section shall be ordered to be served consecutively to that imposed upon any other such conviction.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.234, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill amends section 1 of P.L.1999, c.160 (C.2C:33-28), which concerns soliciting or recruiting another to join or actively participate in a criminal street gang, to include a new upgraded offense when the actor commits the violation on school property. Under the provisions of this bill, an actor who commits the offense on school property is guilty of a crime of the third degree.
Soliciting or recruiting a person under the age of 18 to join or actively participate in a criminal street gang, regardless of where the recruiting occurs, would remain a crime of the second degree.
Ordinarily, a violation of subsection a. of the statute prohibiting the recruiting of someone to join a street gang is a crime of the fourth degree except: (1) if the actor threatens another with bodily injury on two or more separate occasions within a 30-day period, it is third degree, and (2) if the actor inflicts significant bodily injury upon another, it is second degree.
A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. A crime of the second degree is punishable by five to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both.
This bill also brings section 1 of P.L.1999, c.160 (C.2C:33-28) into conformity with current statutory law.