SENATE, No. 909

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 7, 1996

 

 

By Senator RICE

 

 

An Act concerning prisoner furloughs for certain inmates and amending P.L.1993, c.153.

 

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

 

    1. Section 1. of P.L.1993, c.153 (C.30:4-91.3b) is amended to read as follows:

    1. [Notwithstanding] a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3 of P.L.1969, c.22 (C.30:4-91.3), the Commissioner of Corrections shall not authorize the participation of a prisoner in any furlough program administered by the Department of Corrections if that prisoner has been convicted of a crime pursuant to N.J.S.2C:11-3, N.J.S.2C:11-4, N.J.S.2C:14-2, N.J.S.2C:15-1, N.J.S.2C:13-1, or subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:12-1.

    b. The provision of subsection a. of this section shall not apply to a prisoner whose place of confinement is a residential community release program when the purpose of the furlough is a family visit.

    As used in this act, "residential community release program" means the provision of halfway house or substance abuse treatment services to inmates, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections, by a contract agency in the community.

(cf: P.L.1993, c.153, s.1)

 

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    N.J.S.A.30:4-91.3b, enacted in 1993, provides that inmates who have been convicted of murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, robbery, kidnapping or aggravated assault are ineligible for participation in any furlough program administered by the Department of Corrections. This bill would provide that the prohibition on furloughs would not apply to inmates confined in a halfway house who are participating in a residential community release program.

 

 

                             

 

Permits the furlough release of prisoners confined to community based programs.