ASSEMBLY, No. 363

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Assemblymen HOLZAPFEL and WOLFE

 

 

An Act concerning probation, amending N.J.S.2C:45-1, supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes and making an appropriation.

 

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

 

    1. N.J.S.2C:45-1 is amended to read as follows:

    2C:45-1. Conditions of Suspension or Probation.

    a. When the court suspends the imposition of sentence on a person who has been convicted of an offense or sentences him to be placed on probation, it shall attach such reasonable conditions, authorized by this section, as it deems necessary to insure that he will lead a law-abiding life or is likely to assist him to do so. These conditions may be set forth in a set of standardized conditions promulgated by the county probation department and approved by the court.

    b. The court, as a condition of its order, may require the defendant:     (1) To support his dependents and meet his family responsibilities;

    (2) To find and continue in gainful employment;

    (3) To undergo available medical or psychiatric treatment and to enter and remain in a specified institution, when required for that purpose;

    (4) To pursue a prescribed secular course of study or vocational training;

    (5) To attend or reside in a facility established for the instruction, recreation or residence of persons on probation;

    (6) To refrain from frequenting unlawful or disreputable places or consorting with disreputable persons;

    (7) Not to have in his possession any firearm or other dangerous weapon unless granted written permission;

    (8) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1991, c.329);

    (9) To remain within the jurisdiction of the court and to notify the court or the probation officer of any change in his address or his employment;

    (10) To report as directed to the court or the probation officer, to permit the officer to visit his home, and to answer all reasonable inquiries by the probation officer;

    (11) To pay a fine;

    (12) To satisfy any other conditions reasonably related to the rehabilitation of the defendant and not unduly restrictive of his liberty or incompatible with his freedom of conscience;

    (13) To require the performance of community-related service.

    c. The court, as a condition of its order, shall require the defendant to pay any assessments required by section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1) and shall, consistent with the applicable provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3, N.J.S.2C:43-4 and N.J.S.2C:44-2 or section 1 of P.L.1983, c.411 (C.2C:43-2.1) require the defendant to make restitution.

    d. In addition to any condition imposed pursuant to subsection b. or c., the court shall order a person placed on probation to pay a fee, not exceeding $25.00 per month for the probationary term, to probation services for use by the State, except as provided in subsection g. of this section. This fee may be waived in cases of indigency upon application by the chief probation officer to the sentencing court.

    e. When the court sentences a person who has been convicted of a crime to be placed on probation, it may require him to serve a term of imprisonment not exceeding 364 days as an additional condition of its order. When the court sentences a person convicted of a disorderly persons offense to be placed on probation, it may require him to serve a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days as an additional condition of its order. In imposing a term of imprisonment pursuant to this subsection, the sentencing court shall specifically place on the record the reasons which justify the sentence imposed. The term of imprisonment imposed hereunder shall be treated as part of the sentence, and in the event of a sentence of imprisonment upon the revocation of probation, the term of imprisonment served hereunder shall be credited toward service of such subsequent sentence. A term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be governed by the "Parole Act of 1979," P.L.1979, c.441 (C.30:4-123.45 et al.).

    Whenever a person is serving a term of parole as a result of a sentence of incarceration imposed as a condition of probation, supervision over that person shall be maintained pursuant to the provisions of the law governing parole. Upon termination of the period of parole supervision provided by law, the county probation department shall assume responsibility for supervision of the person under sentence of probation. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the sentencing court from at any time proceeding under the provisions of this chapter against any person for a violation of probation.

    f. The defendant shall be given a copy of the terms of his probation or suspension of sentence and any requirements imposed pursuant to this section, stated with sufficient specificity to enable him to guide himself accordingly. The defendant shall acknowledge, in writing, his receipt of these documents and his consent to their terms.

    g. Of the moneys collected under the provisions of subsection d. of this section, $15.00 of each monthly fee collected before January 1, 1995 shall be deposited in the temporary reserve fund created by section 25 of P.L.1993, c.275, and $10.00 of each shall be deposited into a "Community Service Supervision Fund" which shall be established by each county. The moneys in the "Community Service Supervision Fund" shall be expended only in accordance with the provisions of State law as shall be enacted to provide for expenditures from this fund for the purpose of supervising and monitoring probationers performing community service to ensure, by whatever means necessary and appropriate, that probationers are performing the community service ordered by the court and that the performance is in the manner and under the terms ordered by the court.

    h. The court, as a condition of probation or suspension of sentence, shall require a defendant convicted of an offense who in committing the offense acted, at least in part, with ill will, hatred or bias toward, and with a purpose to intimidate, an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity to attend a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as section 2 of this bill).

(cf: P.L.1993, c.275, s.16)

 

    2. (New section) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall develop and administer a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program.

 

    3. There is appropriated from the General Fund $90,000.00 to the Administrative Office of the Courts to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill would provide, as a condition of probation or suspension of sentence, that a defendant convicted of an offense which was committed, at least in part, with ill will, hatred or bias toward, and with a purpose to intimidate, an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity be required to attend a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program.

    The bill would appropriate $90,000.00 to the Administrative Office of the Courts to develop a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program.

 

 

 

Requires certain defendants to attend a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program; making an appropriation.