New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed a bill this week that increases treatment access for people in the criminal justice system. The bill, sponsored by Sens. John H. Adler and Shirley K. Turner, expands eligibility for the state's drug court program and allows for outpatient treatment under some circumstances.

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey supported the legislation, with director Roseanne Scotti attending legislative hearings and submitting testimony advocating for expanded treatment access. “This is a good first step in reforming New Jersey’s drug sentencing policies,” said Scotti. “But New Jersey’s prisons are filled with nonviolent drug law violators who are serving mandatory minimum sentences, and we need to ultimately repeal the laws that require these harsh, ineffective and expensive sentences.”

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey will soon be launching a campaign to advocate for broader reform of drug sentencing laws in New Jersey.  The campaign will focus on the social and economic costs of incarcerating large numbers of nonviolent drug law violators.  There are about 8,000 people incarcerated in New Jersey for nonviolent drug law violations and it costs more than $46,000 a year to keep each of these individuals behind bars.