Bill > S881

This bill makes significant changes to New Jersey's drug court program, which is a court-supervised program designed to help individuals with substance abuse issues avoid jail time by completing treatment and other requirements. First, it eliminates the ability of prosecutors to object to a defendant's admission into the drug court program, meaning that if a judge believes a defendant is a good candidate for the program, a prosecutor cannot block their entry. Second, the bill expands who is eligible for drug court, likely by broadening the types of offenses or individuals who can be considered. Finally, it introduces a phased-in mandatory drug court program, which suggests that over time, certain individuals charged with drug-related offenses may be required to participate in drug court rather than going through the traditional criminal justice system.