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Lesniak ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Governor’s Focus On Nonviolent Offenders

Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the Chairman of the Economic Growth Committee, speaks at a news conference at the Statehouse announcing the introduction of legislation sponsored by himself and Senator Barbara Buono which would begin to address the foreclosure and affordable housing crises facing New Jersey. The bill, S-1566, would establish a central agency under the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) to use funds from the State Affordable Housing Trust Fund to purchase and deed-restrict foreclosed properties to be used as affordable housing. The bill would also create incentives for municipalities to transition foreclosed properties to affordable housing, giving them a 2-to-1 match against their affordable housing obligation for affordable units created from foreclosed properties. Senator Lesniak said the bill could result in 10,000 new affordable units and 10,000 less unoccupied, boarded-up properties. Also pictured is Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jerry Green.
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Says First Priority Should Be Folks Who Want to Overcome Addiction

TRENTON – State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the prime sponsor of a legislative package designed to reduce criminal recidivism and create a pathway to recovery and rehabilitation for drug-addicted, nonviolent offenders, issued the following statement today in response to the Governor’s proposal to create mandatory drug court for all nonviolent drug offenders:

“While I think the Governor’s goals in expanding the drug court program are laudable, we have to make sure they’re also achievable.

“I’ve introduced legislation, S-881, which was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would expand drug court jurisdiction and provide more resources to increase the number of participants in the drug court program. Right now, half of the eligible drug court participants decline admission into the program. By opening the floodgates for all drug-court-eligible nonviolent offenders – as the Governor has proposed – we run the risk of crowding out folks who want to be there, and we risk the possibility of diminishing the effectiveness of drug recovery programs, where the group dynamic may suffer as a result of including people who are serious about recovery, and people who are only there because they’re forced to be there.

“I’m also concerned that the Governor’s talk on helping nonviolent offenders recover from addiction doesn’t always match his actions. I’ve sponsored a non-binding resolution, along with Senator Nick Scutari, to urge the Governor to grant clemency to John Ray Wilson, a person suffering from multiple sclerosis who grew marijuana in his backyard to treat his disease – and who was subsequently found guilty of drug manufacturing, a charge typically reserved for large-scale operations looking to sell their product. The Governor’s announcement today of his expansion of the drug court program comes at the heels of his declaration during a radio interview that John Ray Wilson should go to jail and stay there.

“I remain hopeful that the Governor is serious about his concern for nonviolent drug offenders who are being failed by the current system. I hope to work with him to advance realistic proposals which will result in more nonviolent offenders recovering from their addictions and becoming productive members of society.”

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Lesniak Drug Court Bill Approved In Committee

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which would expand eligibility for the State’s drug court substance abuse treatment program and create a pilot program in two counties in which anyone who’s eligible would be automatically enrolled in a drug treatment program was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

The Senator issued the following testimony at the Committee meeting, in which he sat as an alternate member of the Committee:

“S-881 will expand the number of criminal offenders eligible for treatment for their drug or alcohol addiction under supervision of our counties’ drug courts by removing some of the disqualifications in current law and by creating a two-county pilot program wherein all eligible offenders would be required to participate in the recovery program.

03 Apr 2012
Lesniak-Scutari Drug Court Bill Approved In Senate

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Nicholas P. Scutari which would expand eligibility for the State’s drug court substance abuse treatment program and create a pilot program in two counties in which any offender who’s eligible would be automatically enrolled in a drug treatment program was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 33-2.

“Giving criminal offenders an opportunity at a second chance at a crime-free life is a moral and responsible thing to do,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “We need to understand that the current practice of incarcerating drug addicts does little to rehabilitate the individual, and may in fact only lead to a nonviolent offender becoming a violent offender later in life. This bill is about spending our corrections budget smarter, and putting the focus on addiction recovery, rather than blind incarceration, for offenders who are motivated by substance abuse.”

“Our current criminal justice system fails individuals who are addicted to drugs,” said Senator Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, and the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “One of the popular definitions of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. In the case of drug-addicted criminal offenders, if we think for a minute that the current vicious cycle of incarceration, release, criminal offense and incarceration will eventually yield rehabilitated individuals, then we’re certainly inviting questions about the efficacy of the State’s criminal justice system, let alone our own mental health and well-being.”

31 May 2012
Lesniak-Scutari Drug Court Bill Receives Final Approval

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Nicholas P. Scutari which would expand eligibility for the State’s drug court substance abuse treatment program and create a phased-in pilot program in which any offender who’s eligible would be automatically enrolled in drug court was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 36-1, receiving final legislative approval.

“This bill is about giving criminal drug offenders an opportunity at a second chance at a crime-free life,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “The current practice of incarcerating drug addicts gives them little chance to kick the habit and encourages ordinarily nonviolent offenders to become repeat offenders. This bill puts the focus on addiction recovery and individual rehabilitation, rather than blind incarceration, for offenders who are seeking to overcome substance abuse.”

28 Jun 2012
Lesniak-Scutari Drug Court Bill Signed Into Law

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Nicholas P. Scutari which expands eligibility for the State’s drug court substance abuse treatment program and creates a phased-in pilot program in which any offender who’s eligible would be automatically enrolled in drug court was signed into law today.

“Drug Court saved the life of one of the intruders who broke into my home and robbed me in the middle of the night three years ago, and the program made our community safer by giving him an opportunity to kick his drug habit and lead a productive, crime free life,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “Unfortunately, his partner in crime was not eligible to receive the intensive treatment for his drug addiction provided by our drug courts because of prior offenses. The time that he served in jail was more costly and less likely to aid his recovery or lessen his likelihood of committing another crime. This law expands access to the life-saving, cost-saving and crime-preventing opportunities provided by our drug courts to thousands of criminal offenders struggling with drug addiction. Our communities will be safer and taxpayer costs will be saved as our prison population is reduced as a result.”

19 Jul 2012