newjerseynewsroom.com

Inmates would see sentence shortened upon completion

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

A bill that would enable nonviolent drug offenders to reduce their prison sentence in exchange for participation in a successful addiction treatment program will be introduced in the state Senate Thursday by three Democratic legislators.

The lawmakers have tagged the proposal "Earn Your Way Out."

The measure would establish a pilot Earn Your Way Out of Jail and Into Supervision, Treatment and Recovery program within the state Department of Corrections. The goal of the pilot program would be to allow 1,000 inmates to achieve a 2-year early release by completing a substance abuse treatment and self-responsibility course. The bill would also create a support structure for participants seeking recovery, including allowing them to communicate with family members and seek support from established, certified drug treatment counselors.

"This bill is about giving nonviolent drug offenders an opportunity to break the cycle of addiction and crime, and it provides them with the resources and support to reclaim their lives and their freedom," Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor, said. "Rather than spending corrections funding to keep people behind bars, only for them to return shortly after their release, we need to spend Corrections dollars smarter, and reduce prisoner recidivism. This means addressing the root cause that pushes people into a life of crime, and in most cases, the cause is drug addiction."

The bill is also sponsored by Sen. Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Hudson) and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-Mercer).

Lesniak will be joined at a Statehouse press conference on Thursday by supporters as well as individuals who have successfully completed addiction treatment and can provide personal perspective on the goals of the program.