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Behind Detroit, city had the second-largest initiative in history of U.S. Marshals Service

If Fugitive Safe Surrender could be a yearly event, Atlantic City might want to add the gathering to the convention schedule.

More than 4,000 fugitives from across New Jersey turned themselves in last week during Fugitive Safe Surrender. The striking turnout made the initiative in Newark the second-largest nationwide in the history of the U.S. Marshals Service-led Fugitive Safe Surrender program.

U.S. Marshal James Plousis, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and State Parole Board Chairman Yolette C. Ross Tuesday joined Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow, Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow, the Rev. Dr. M. William Howard Jr. and Deacon Edward Cosby of Bethany Baptist Church, Joseph Matara, chief operating officer for New Community Corporation, and other leaders to announce the initiative's successful conclusion.

With more than 4,000 fugitives turning themselves in over four days, the Fugitive Safe Surrender initiative in Newark was the second-largest since the U.S. Marshals Service held the first such operation in 2005. The U.S. Marshals Service is still calculating the numbers based on thousands of fugitive records. Final numbers should be available in the next few weeks. The top Fugitive Safe Surrender site nationwide is Detroit, where 6,578 individuals turned themselves in over four days in June 2008. The third-largest is Camden, where 2,245 individuals turned themselves in over four days in November, 2008.

U.S. Marshal Plousis said, "We are more than pleased with the success of this program. Due to the hard work of many agencies especially in Essex and Union counties, Fugitive Safe Surrender in Newark has exceeded all previous efforts except that in Detroit. In fact, our initiative had a larger turnout than Detroit's in relation to the population of the host city. The benefits of being able to surrender safely will reverberate far beyond the thousands who participated, to touch their families and their communities all across New Jersey."

"For more than four years now, Fugitive Safe Surrender has proven it works as a cooperative venture of faith-based communities, law enforcement, and the judiciary," Attorney General Milgram said. "It is not an amnesty program, but the first step for a second chance for non-violent offenders to become law-abiding citizens. I believe that is exactly what happened last week for the people who voluntarily surrendered in Newark."

"The opportunity to surrender and receive favorable consideration - not amnesty - is helping thousands of fugitives face the court and get back on the road toward leading productive, law-abiding lives," State Parole Board Chairman Ross said. "This is consistent with the Parole Board's mission to hold ex-offenders accountable for their crimes, while helping them successfully change and reenter society."

SAFE SURRENDER BY THE NUMBERS:

• Total number of fugitives from across New Jersey who turned themselves in from Nov. 4 through Nov. 7 at Bethany Baptist Church and the nearby Priory building, headquarters of the New Community Corporation: More than 4,000 (this includes the 25,000th nationwide in the Fugitive Safe Surrender initiative)
• Total who were processed on site: 1,851
• Total who were not processed on-site, but received vouchers for a future court date: more than 2,149
• Total number of individuals who were arrested: 9
• Partial breakdown of the 1,851 individuals processed on-site:
• Number of individuals who had at least one felony warrant: 274
• Number of individuals who had at least one misdemeanor warrant: 618
• Number of individuals who had traffic warrants only: 565
• Number of individuals who had no warrant found: 369
• Total number of warrants cleared so far: 4,389, of which 361 were felony warrants

"More than 4,000 fugitives took advantage of this life altering program by turning themselves in, accepting responsibility for their crimes and getting a fresh start with their lives again," said Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow. "It is our hope the success of the Newark Safe Surrender program will echo to other fugitives across this state and nation."

"We're talking about people who are not involved in violent crimes, people who have made mistakes and are trying to repair them," Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said. "This was more rewarding for everyone than bringing them in handcuffs."

"Bethany Baptist Church is proud to have provided this opportunity for fugitives to take responsibility for what they have done, stop living in hiding and start building productive lives," Deacon Edward Cosby said. "Surrendering in safety is the first step in receiving a second chance, and in providing healing for the fugitives themselves, and their families and communities."

— NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM