For immediate release
January 3, 2008
Contact: media@famm.org
Families Against Mandatory Minimums strongly supports New Jersey reformative service legislation
TRENTON: Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) today gave its support to legislation that would allow the courts to substitute approved reformative service for mandatory Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction (DEDR) monetary penalties.
Assembly bill 4570, sponsored by Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-15) and its Senate companion bill S-2930, sponsored by Senator John Girgenti (D-35), implement a component of the reentry piece of Governor Corzine’s three-pronged anti-crime initiative for the state. The bill would reform the harsh fines that often hinder the successful transition of rehabilitated individuals from prison to society.
"FAMM strongly supports this legislation, because it serves as a vehicle to assist formerly incarcerated people in finding a proper transition into society. Most noteworthy about this legislation is its call for human and social services as a tool for rehabilitation,” stated Joseph Greer, director of FAMM’s New Jersey project.
“This bill takes an important first step toward addressing the human and fiscal cost of harsh mandatory sentencing policies for drug offenses, such as those associated with the state’s drug-free zone laws,” continued Greer.
“In addition to the bill being considered today, Majority Leader Watson Coleman introduced legislation to reduce drug-free zones and eliminate the mandatory minimums triggered by them. Drug-free zone reform enjoys wide bipartisan support, including from the GEAR Task Force and all the state’s prosecutors.
"We hope that the legislature will take the next step and pass drug-free zone reform as soon as possible in the new legislative session,” concluded Greer.
Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit organization that advocates for fair and proportionate sentences and supports efforts to provide judges with sentencing alternatives, such as treatment and drug courts, in appropriate cases.
Contact Joseph Greer at (609) 577-9520, or via email jgreer@famm.org.
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