ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5750

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 18, 2021

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5750.

     This bill prohibits retaliation against inmates in State correctional facilities who file a complaint of sexual assault or harassment, physical violence, or mental abuse against a corrections officer or other staff member of the facility. 

     The bill specifically requires the Commissioner of Corrections to establish a secure, reliable, and confidential method for inmates incarcerated in State correctional facilities to report these complaints.  A fee cannot be charged to file the complaint and the inmate is to have the option of remaining anonymous.  Inmates are to be given the opportunity to file a complaint in their native language.  Inmates are to be clearly informed on how to file a confidential complaint, including how to file a complaint with the facility’s Special Investigations Division, and that the reporting of the complaint is strictly confidential.