Bill Text: NJ S1650 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Restricts placement of inmates in certain housing units of State correctional facilities.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-17 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S1650 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S1650-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RAYMOND J. LESNIAK
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Restricts placement of inmates in certain housing units of State correctional facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning inmates in State correctional facilities and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, an inmate may be placed in a single housing cell in disciplinary detention or administrative segregation only when necessary to protect the inmate or another inmate from physical harm. An inmate shall not be placed in a single housing cell in these units for any other purpose, including for disciplinary or administrative reasons.
b. The provisions of this act shall not apply to the placement of inmates in double housing cells in disciplinary detention or administrative segregation.
c. As used in this section, "inmate" means a person sentenced to imprisonment in a State correctional facility.
2. The Commissioner of Corrections, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill restricts the placement of inmates in certain housing units of State correctional facilities.
Specifically, under the provisions of this bill, an inmate may be placed in a single housing cell in disciplinary detention or administrative segregation only when this placement is necessary to protect the inmate or another inmate from physical harm. This bill provides that an inmate cannot be placed in a single housing cell in these units for any other purpose, including for disciplinary or administrative reasons.
In addition, under this bill, these restrictions do not apply to inmates placed in double housing cells in disciplinary detention or administrative segregation.
The Department of Corrections, by regulation, defines "disciplinary detention" as the removal of an inmate from the general population to a short-term close custody unit because of a disciplinary infraction. In addition, "administrative segregation" is defined as the removal of an inmate from the general population to a long-term close custody unit because of one or more disciplinary infractions or other administrative considerations.
