New Solutions Campaign Promoting Fair & Effective Criminal Justice Strengthening Families & Communities Meagan Glaser Deputy State Director, New Jersey Drug Policy Alliance January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 1
Broken Criminal Justice System • African Americans and Latinos make up 27% of the population but more than 80% of those incarcerated. • 1 in 9 African American children has a parent in prison. • Corrections spending grew at three times the rate of education spending during the1980s and 1990s in NJ • Reform is needed! A fairer and more effective criminal justice system is good for our families and communities. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 2
New Solutions Campaign January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 3
New Solutions Campaign Wasting Money Wasting Lives • New Jersey spends more than $300 million a year just to incarcerate nonviolent drug offenders. • Over the last two decades New Jersey’s budget for corrections has grown from about $300 million to more than $1 billion. • Individuals who have been incarcerated make 30 to 40 percent less in wages over their lifetimes than those who have not been incarcerated. – This means less money to support families, communities and local businesses and less taxable revenue for New Jersey. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 4
New Solutions Current Priorities Why Bail Reform? January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 5
New Solutions Current Priorities Why Bail Reform? • On any given day, nearly 75 percent of the 15,000 people in New Jersey jails are awaiting trial rather than serving a sentence. • The average length of incarceration for pretrial inmates is more than 10 months. • More than half of Superior Court criminal cases pre-indictment are in backlog status. • Nearly 40 percent of the total jail population has the option to post bail but lacks the financial resources to do so. • Approximately 1,500 people could secure their release pending trial with $2,500 or less. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 6
New Solutions Current Priorities Bail Reform • The New Jersey Bail Reform Act will require all arrestees to undergo a risk assessment, will replace the money bail system with non- monetary release options and pretrial supervision and will take the profit motive out of the pretrial justice system by eliminating for-profit bond agencies. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 7
New Solutions Current Priorities Parole Reform • Senate Bill 667 will streamline the parole system by allowing nonviolent offenders to be released on their first parole eligibility date provided that they have committed no serious disciplinary infractions and participated in rehabilitation programs while incarcerated. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 8
New Solutions Current Priorities Why Parole Reform? • Incarcerating individuals for nonviolent offenses beyond the time needed to reduce recidivism and ensure public safety is wasteful and ineffective. • It makes financial sense—it costs almost $50,000 a year to incarcerate an individual in New Jersey. • At the moment, only 20 percent of inmates are paroled at the date they first become eligible. This number has declined steadily over the last decade—for no good reason. • The Presumptive Parole Act would incentivize and reward good behavior and increase prison safety. • The Presumptive Parole Act would save taxpayer money and encourage rehabilitation. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 9
New Solutions Current Priorities Marijuana Decriminalization • Senate Bill 1977 (last session bill #) will reduce the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana from a criminal offense to a civil fine, similar to a parking ticket. Doing so will save money, alleviate pressure on overburdened municipal courts and enhance public safety by focusing limited law enforcement resources on serious offenses. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 10
New Solutions Current Priorities Why Marijuana Decriminalization? • More than 22,000 individuals were arrested for marijuana possession in New Jersey in 2010. • Possession of two ounces (50 grams) or less of marijuana carries a penalty of up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a stigmatizing criminal record that can last a lifetime. – Once convicted of even a minor possession offense, it becomes difficult or impossible to secure employment, housing, student loans, or even a driver’s license. – Even without a conviction, the consequences of an arrest can include immeasurable stigma and humiliation, the often unmanageable financial burden of posting bail and hiring a lawyer, and lost hours at work or school. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 11
New Solutions Current Priorities Why Marijuana Decriminalization? • In New Jersey African Americans are almost three times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana possession—although African Americans and whites use marijuana at the same rates. – In Essex County, African Americans make up 40 percent of the total population and 70 percent of the arrests for marijuana possession. • New Jersey spent more than $127 million dollars enforcing marijuana possession laws in 2010. • A majority of New Jerseyans agree that our current marijuana laws are in need of reform. – A 2013 poll by Lake Research Partners found that more than 60 percent of voters support reducing the penalty for possession of two ounces or less of marijuana from a criminal offense to a small fine similar to a traffic ticket. January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 12
New Solutions Campaign What can you do? • Join the New Solutions Campaign ! – http://www.drugpolicy.org/about-us/departments-and-state-offices/ new-jersey/new-solutions-campaign/join-new-solutions-campaign • Make your voice heard by adding your name and/or your organization’s name to the list more than 100 coalition partners around the state who support one or more of these critically important pieces of legislation. – Faith leaders and communities – Social service and social justice organizations – Community advocates and activists – Law enforcement • Contact Meagan Glaser at mglaser@drugpolicy.org or 609-396-8613 January 29, 2014 New Solutions Campaign 13
Recommend
More recommend
