Bill > A4823

Introduced Session

This bill gives the New Jersey State Parole Board ("parole board") the authority to refer inmates, who are dangerous to themselves or others because of mental illness or who are sexually violent predators, to the Attorney General ("AG") and applicable county prosecutor to start the involuntary commitment evaluation process in order to ensure that the inmates are not released without appropriate supervision and treatment. Under current law, when an adult or juvenile inmate is scheduled for release due to expiration of the inmate's maximum term, the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections ("commissioner") or the Juvenile Justice Commission ("JJC") is to notify the AG and the prosecutor of the county if the person was convicted of certain sexually-based offenses that the court found was characterized by a pattern of repetitive, compulsive behavior, or the parole board or the superintendent of the facility in which the inmate has been confined has advised the commissioner or the JJC that the conduct of the inmate during the period of confinement, the inmate's mental condition, or the inmate's past history indicates that the inmate may be in need of involuntary commitment. This bill amends the law to now also expressly provide the parole board as having this authority to make the initial referral to the AG and prosecutor to start the evaluation process to determine whether an inmate is in need of involuntary commitment. This bill also amends the law to allow the parole board, commissioner, or the JJC to make the referral at the time an inmate would otherwise become eligible for parole, not just at the expiration of an inmate's maximum term.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Julio Marenco (D)*,  Gary Schaer (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee (on 09/19/2024)

Official Document