SENATE, No. 2522

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED MAY 10, 2018

Sponsored by:

Senator  JOSEPH P. CRYAN

District 20 (Union)

Senator  LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Scutari and Ruiz

SYNOPSIS

     Limits cross gender strip searches in State correctional facilities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act concerning cross gender strip searches in State correctional facilities and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    The Commissioner of Corrections shall establish a policy to limit cross gender searches and surveillance in State correctional facilities. The policy shall:

     a.     require a strip or body cavity search of an inmate to be conducted by an officer of the same gender who is specially trained to conduct these searches;

     b.    authorize an exception to the requirements in subsection a. of this section only in cases of an emergency or other extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances;

     c.     require a non-security employee to conduct the search if a facility does not have sufficient correctional police officers of the same gender as the inmate population;   

     d.    require the strip or body cavity search to conform with hygienic procedures and professional practices;

     e.     prohibit correctional police officers from viewing inmates of the opposite gender who are nude or performing bodily functions except in an emergency or other extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances;

     f.     require a facility to install privacy panels in shower and toilet areas when possible;

     g.    require a verbal announcement to be made when correctional police officers or other employees of the opposite gender are in an area of the facility;

     h.    when necessary to determine a transgender inmate’s genital status, require the examination of the inmate to be conducted in a private setting by a medical practitioner; and

     i.     include any other restrictions deemed appropriate by the commissioner.

     2.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment, but the Commissioner of Corrections may take any anticipatory action necessary to implement the provisions of this act. 

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections to establish a policy limiting cross gender searches and surveillance in State correctional facilities.  At the minimum, the policy is to:   

     (1)   require a strip or body cavity search of an inmate to be conducted by an officer of the same gender who is specially trained to conduct these searches;

     (2)   authorize an exception to this requirement only in cases of an emergency or other extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances;

     (3)   require a non-security employee to conduct the search if a facility does not have adequate correctional police officers of the same gender as the inmate population;

     (4)   require the strip or body cavity search to conform with hygienic procedures and professional practices;

     (5)   prohibit correctional police officers from viewing inmates of the opposite gender who are nude or performing bodily functions except in an emergency or other extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances;

     (6)   require a facility, when possible, to install privacy panels in shower and toilet areas;

     (7)   require a verbal announcement be made when correctional police officers or other employees of the opposite gender are in an area of the facility; and

     (8)   when necessary to determine a transgender inmate’s genital status, require the examination of the inmate to be conducted in a private setting by a medical practitioner.