ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 462

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 20, 1996

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 462.

      This bill provides for the fingerprinting and photographing of all persons arrested for simple assault. Since simple assault is a disorderly persons offense and not an indictable offense, persons arrested for simple assault are not now photographed and fingerprinted.

      This bill embodies the recommendation of the New Jersey Supreme Court's "Committee to Review the Conrad Jeffrey Matter." In its report, dated October 1995, the Committee urged the Legislature to consider expanding the scope of offenses which require fingerprinting. The Committee noted that broadening the current statutes concerning fingerprinting would enable law enforcement to provide a more complete criminal history to judges, giving judges a better understanding of a criminal's record prior to sentencing.