NEW JERSEY – The County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey is urging lawmakers to reject a pair of bills that would significantly overhaul the state’s parole system, warning the measures could weaken public safety protections and erode longstanding victim rights.
In a statement, the association said Assembly Bill 6206 and Senate Bill 5000 — which aim to limit reincarceration for parole violations and expand compliance credits — would undermine a parole model that is already considered one of the strongest in the country.
Prosecutors noted New Jersey’s current system has one of the lowest parole revocation rates nationwide, about 6 percent compared with a 10 percent national average. Most of the state’s revocations, the group said, involve individuals convicted under the No Early Release Act or for sexual offenses — some of the most violent crimes under New Jersey law.
CPANJ argued that the proposed changes would make it harder to return high-risk offenders to custody for repeated or serious noncompliance, since many actions now categorized as “technical violations” would no longer permit revocation. The group cited examples such as convicted sex offenders who fail to report accurate addresses or violate no-contact orders, saying such conduct currently carries important consequences that the bills could weaken.
The association also raised concerns about the bills’ expanded compliance credit system, which would sharply increase the rate at which parolees can shorten their supervision terms. Prosecutors said the proposal is too broad and not sufficiently tied to measurable rehabilitative progress, allowing credits to accrue even when individuals fail to meet basic supervision requirements as long as they avoid new criminal charges.
In addition, CPANJ said the legislation lacks strong safeguards for victims, including timely notification of violations or changes in a parolee’s supervision status. They cautioned that additional procedural steps before a parolee can be detained may place victims — particularly those in domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault cases — at risk.
Overall, the association warned that the proposed reforms would reduce accountability, weaken deterrence, and limit the ability of parole officers to address high-risk behavior.
While acknowledging the Legislature’s interest in fair and effective reentry policies, CPANJ said it “strongly opposes” the bills in their current form, arguing they would compromise public safety and undermine the integrity of a system that has proven successful.
