FISCAL NOTE TO


[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1507


STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: JANUARY 8, 1997

 

 

      Senate Bill No. 1507(1R) of 1996 would provide that the sentence for a crime committed while on parole must be served consecutively with any other term of imprisonment imposed unless the court finds that consecutive sentences would be a serious injustice that overrides society's need to discourage the commission of crimes by other parolees. The court must set forth, in detail, its reasons for imposing a concurrent sentence. Currently, the court has discretion in determining whether the sentences imposed be served consecutively or concurrently.

      The Department of Corrections states that in 1986 when the law changing the presumption that terms of incarceration for the commission of crimes while on parole be served consecutively rather than concurrently, at the discretion of the court, the department experienced a surge in population that was attributable to the longer length of stay associated with this change. The department notes that there are no data available to determine the impact of the strengthened presumption of consecutive sentencing proposed by the bill. However, it is anticipated that enactment would have minimal impact on the department in terms of increased population or costs.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs and adds that the cost of incarcerating an offender in one of the State's institutions totals about $26,000 annually. If it becomes necessary to construct additional bed space to house these offenders, the State would incur one-time capital construction costs of $80,000 per bed.

 

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