FISCAL NOTE TO

SENATE, No. 339

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JULY 2, 1996

      Senate Bill No.339 of 1996 would give the parole board more discretion in reviewing the case of an inmate who has been previously denied parole. Currently, the parole board is required to allow the inmate to be released on parole unless new information obtained in a new preparole report indicates that the inmate should not be released. Under the bill, the same standards outlined above with regard to initial parole determinations would also be applicable to subsequent parole determinations for inmates whose parole had initially been denied. Any relevant information including information contained in the original preparole report could be used in making these determinations.

      The Department of Corrections states that the increase in discretionary power that this bill grants the Parole Board will result in an unknown increase in parole denials to inmates subject to subsequent parole hearings. The fiscal impact will include an increase in length-of-stay, resulting in a need for additional bed spaces. The actual number of additional bed spaces required cannot be estimated.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs and adds that the cost of housing an inmate in a State institution is about $26,000 per year. If it become necessary to construct additional bed spaces for these inmates, it would cost about $80,000 per new bed.

This fiscal note has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.