SENATE, No. 2203
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED JUNE 12, 1997
By Senator KOSCO
An Act establishing a parole advisory board and supplementing chapter 4 of Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is hereby established a Parole Advisory Board in, but not of, the Bureau of Parole. Notwithstanding the allocation of the board within the bureau, the bureau or any employee thereof shall not exercise any control over the board. The advisory board shall consist of 23 members. It shall include in its membership the Chief of the Bureau of Parole in the Department of Corrections or his designee, who shall serve ex officio; one member representing each of the following organizations and groups, who shall be appointed by the Governor: the State Parole Board, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Department of Law and Public Safety, Office of the Governor, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Victims of Crime Compensation Board, the New Jersey Chapter of the American Correctional Association, the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey, the Sheriffs' Association of New Jersey, the New Jersey Wardens Association, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Parole and Probation Association, Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the community at large, treatment providers, victims' rights groups and former inmates who have successfully completed parole. Two members of the Senate, who shall not be of the same political party and who shall serve during their terms of office, shall be appointed by the President of the Senate. Two members of the General Assembly, who shall not be of the same political party and who shall serve during their terms of office, shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly.
Members of the board shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate, and serve a term of three years, except for the initial gubernatorial appointees, seven of whom shall serve for two years and seven of whom shall serve for four years. Each member shall serve for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed. A member may be reappointed to the board. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring in the membership of the board for any reason other than the expiration of the term shall serve a term of appointment for the unexpired term only. All vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. Any appointed member of the board, except the legislative members, may be removed from the board by the Governor, for cause, after a hearing, and may be suspended by the Governor pending the completion of the hearing. Legislative members may be removed for cause by the leader of their respective houses. Motions and resolutions may be adopted by the board at a board meeting by an affirmative vote of not less than 11 members.
Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses of serving on the board, to the extent that funds are available for this purpose.
The board shall organize as soon as possible after the appointment of its members. The members shall select a chair from among their number.
2. It shall be the duty of the advisory board to review and comment on the development and implementation of supervision standards, drug and alcohol treatment programs for inmates and parolees, and special assignments as requested by the Commissioner of Corrections, taking into consideration research conducted by the Bureau of Parole. The board shall sponsor conferences with criminal justice administrators and community members, including treatment providers, in order to educate all interested parties in the importance of relapse prevention and treatment for specialized cases, and to address issues such as lowering costs, developing protocols for confidentiality, identifying the type and amount of treatment that should be available, and promoting community involvement in the reintegration process. The advisory board may make recommendations to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Parole Board, the Legislature and the Governor in these matters.
The advisory board shall meet at least semiannually and may hold hearings at any place or places it shall designate during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. The Bureau of Parole shall have primary responsibility for providing staff services and other necessary support to the board. The board may also request the assistance and services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, task force or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes. The board may, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes, employ stenographic and clerical assistants and incur travel and miscellaneous expenses necessary for the performance of its duties.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a Parole Advisory Board in, but not of, the Bureau of Parole. The board would review and comment on the development and implementation of supervision standards, drug and alcohol treatment programs for inmates and parolees, and any special assignments requested by the Commissioner of Corrections. The advisory board is to pass on any recommendations it may have on these matters to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Parole Board, the Governor and the Legislature. It would also sponsor conferences with criminal justice administrators and community members, including treatment providers, on a variety of related issues.
The panel would consist of 23 members, representing a wide variety of agencies and organizations that have an interest in supervision and treatment programs for inmates and parolees. It will include two members of each house of the Legislature appointed by their respective leaders. The board would, from among its members, select a chairman and vice-chairman.
In the course of reviewing and commenting on its findings and recommendations, the board would be encouraged to consider the Bureau of Parole's research findings regarding these matters. It would utilize the staff resources of the Bureau of Parole and meet at least semiannually.
This bill is based on a recommendation of the Governor's Study Commission on Parole.
Establishes a parole advisory board on substance abuse treatment.