TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would require a court order for admittance into the Moderate Security Unit (MSU) at the New Lisbon Developmental Center was approved by the Senate by a vote of 36-0.
“The MSU is specifically intended as an alternative to imprisonment for special needs prisoners with developmental disabilities, and we need safeguards in place to ensure that individuals who are incarcerated at the MSU belong there,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health Committee. “The MSU is not a traditional treatment facility, and the regimented treatment and care provided is not necessarily appropriate for every individual with developmental disability. We need to ensure that the facility is not abused, and that developmentally disabled New Jerseyans have access to the appropriate care.”