| Q: How many institutions does the New Jersey Department
of Corrections operate? |
| A: The NJDOC is responsible for 14 major institutions
-- eight adult male correctional facilities, three youth facilities,
one facility for sex offenders, one women's correctional institution
and a central reception/intake unit -- as well as a Stabilization
and Reintegration Program. These facilities collectively house
approximately 23,000 inmates in minimum, medium and maximum
security levels. |
| Q: How much does it cost to incarcerate one inmate in New
Jersey? |
| A: The annual institutional cost per inmate is approximately
$34,600. |
| Q: How many people are committed to the Department of Corrections
in one year? |
| A: Approximately 14,000 inmates were committed to NJDOC
institutions during the 2006 calendar year. It is anticipated
that roughly 1,180 inmates per month will be committed in 2007.
|
| Q: How many people are released from the Department of
Corrections in one year? |
| A: Approximately 14,000 inmates were released from
NJDOC institutions during the 2006 calendar year. An estimated
1,200 inmates per month are expected to be released in 2007.
|
| Q: What is the average length of sentence? |
| A: The median term for NJDOC inmates is five years.
Fifty percent of all NJDOC inmates are serving terms of one-to-five
years; 16 percent are serving terms of six-to-nine years; and
34 percent are serving maximum sentences of 10 years or more. |
| Q: Do Department of Corrections inmates receive quality
healthcare? |
| A: The Health Services Unit establishes Department
of Corrections policy regarding medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy
and mental health care of inmates held in state custody. The
unit monitors professional activities to insure compliance with
applicable rules, regulations and statutes related to inmate
healthcare services, with a goal of assuring that community
standards are maintained. The unit's Quality Assurance Section
develops formal auditing instruments that allow for the performance
of objective audits of all areas of inmate healthcare services,
which were privatized in 1996. |
| Q: What is a mandatory minimum sentence, and how many Department
of Corrections inmates are serving mandatory minimum terms?
|
A: In New Jersey, since 1979, the courts have utilized
mandatory minimum sentences. This means that an offender must
serve the entire mandatory portion of his or her sentence before
becoming eligible for parole consideration. Mandatory minimum
sentences cannot be reduced by earned credits (commutation,
minimum security or work).
As of January 2006, 65 percent of all adult offenders have mandatory
minimum terms. The median mandatory minimum sentence is four
years. Sixteen percent of those with mandatory minimum terms
have mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years or more. |
| Q: How many Department of Corrections inmates have been
convicted of a violent crime? How many have been convicted of
a drug-related offense? |
A: As of January 2006, 40 percent of all NJDOC offenders
were convicted of a violent offense, such as homicide, sexual
assault, aggravated or simple assault, robbery, kidnapping and
other person offenses (terroristic threats, coercion, larceny
from a person, death by auto and negligent manslaughter).
Thirty-two percent of the inmate population was convicted of
a drug-related offense. Virtually all drug offenses were for
sale and distribution, rather than for possession. |
| Q: How does the Department of Corrections address issues
relating to gangs? |
| A: When it became apparent that a large number of inmates
were identified definitively as gang members, the NJDOC designed
a special unit to house the leaders apart from the general population.
To that end, the Security Threat Group Management Unit (STGMU),
located at Northern State Prison in Newark, was devised to isolate
problematic gang-affiliated inmates, or those identified as
gang leaders, from the general population. At the same time,
the STGMU provides a structured and controlled environment where
inmate behavior is closely monitored by a team of departmental
staff. The unit employs a behavior modification program that
requires inmates to renounce their gang affiliation prior to
completion. |
| Q: How many "lifers" are incarcerated in New
Jersey Department of Corrections facilities? |
| A: As of January 2006, 1,122 offenders are serving
life sentences. |
| Q: What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of the
Department of Corrections' inmate population? |
| A: As of January 2006, approximately 61 percent of
all state correctional institutional offenders were African
American, 20 percent were Caucasians, 18 percent were Hispanic
and one percent represented other racial/ethnic backgrounds.
(In these tabulations, a Hispanic is an individual of Mexican,
Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American or other Spanish culture
or origin, regardless of skin color.) |
| Q: What are the procedures for visiting an inmate at a
Department of Corrections facility? |
| A: Each facility has its own regulations. Specific
questions regarding visitation procedures should be addressed
to the facility where the inmate is housed. |
| Q: What does the Department of Corrections do on behalf
of crime victims? |
| A: The Office of Victim Services is devoted to protecting
the rights of victims of crime and assisting victims in achieving
meaningful services. The office was established to strengthen
the role of the NJDOC in responding to the needs of victims.
In conjunction with other state and local agencies, the office
fosters cooperation and teamwork to ensure that victims are
afforded fair and sensitive treatment. The Office of Victim
Services can be contacted at 1-800-996-2029 or 609-943-5390.
|
| Q: Where can I get information about a career with the
New Jersey Department of Corrections? |
| A: The NJDOC is the second-largest employer in state
government. Approximately 10,000 employees are currently building
rewarding careers with the department. To successfully carry
out its mission, the NJDOC offers a wide variety of career opportunities
in both administrative and operational areas. Additional information
can be found in the "Careers in Corrections" section
of this Web site. |
