Trenton, NJ — In a major step forward for public safety and successful reentry, New Jersey lawmakers have introduced the Substance Abuse Recovery and Accountability Act, a comprehensive bill that could change the lives of nearly 13,000 people on supervision across the state.

Led by Governor Phil Murphy, Assemblywoman Shanique Speight in the House, and Senators Andrew Zwicker, Benjie Wimberly, Raj Mukherji in the Senate, the legislation will modernize the state’s supervision system, prioritizing treatment over punishment, creating meaningful incentives for success, and ensuring accountability.

A System That Fails People Struggling with Addiction

More than 70% of people in New Jersey state prisons suffer from substance use disorders. Upon release, these New Jerseyans have to find a way to reintegrate into communities while struggling to overcome their addictions, all while navigating complex and varied conditions of supervision. Too often, these competing demands work against each other: the current supervision system often responds with incarceration, not treatment. This pulls people away from the support system they really need, as well as from their workplaces and families.  

This approach doesn’t work. Research consistently shows that treatment is far more effective than incarceration in reducing recidivism for people with substance use disorders. But right now in New Jersey, on any given day, approximately 1,100 people sit in New Jersey prisons for non-criminal rule violations, costing taxpayers $90 million annually.

Three Key Changes That Would Strengthen Supervision

1. TREATMENT OVER PUNISHMENT

The bill limits re-incarceration for people on supervision who experience relapse, instead prioritizing connections to community treatment and recovery support. Supervision officers will have new tools to help people access the services they need without defaulting to incarceration.

2. FAIR, PROPORTIONATE, ACCOUNTABILITY 

For non-criminal violations, the legislation establishes clear, proportionate responses that keep people on track without automatically sending them back to prison. It moves people serving sanctions for non-criminal violations from state prisons to county jails, keeping them closer to family and support systems while reducing costs for the state. The legislation also sets a cap on the length of time a person can serve for a non-criminal violation. 

3. MEANINGFUL INCENTIVES FOR SUCCESS 

The bill expands compliance credits from 1:6 to 1:2 for most people on supervision. In other words, people on supervision would be able to get one day of credit for every two days of compliance. For individuals convicted of offenses under NERA (No Early Release Act), the legislation makes them newly eligible for limited credits at a 1:6 ratio. This creates strong incentives for people to follow the rules and successfully complete supervision while reducing officer caseloads so they can focus on those with the highest needs.

A Critical Moment for New Jersey

With only weeks remaining in the legislative session, the New Jersey Safety Coalition is working to build momentum for swift passage. The coalition consists of faith leaders, law enforcement voices, employers, conservative allies, justice advocates, and directly impacted New Jerseyans. 

How You Can Help

The success of this legislation depends on sustained public support and advocacy. Here’s how you can make a difference:

1. Join the New Jersey Safety Coalition to stay informed and get involved in advocacy efforts.
2. Share your story if you’ve been impacted by supervision in New Jersey, we want to hear from you.
3. Share this news on social media to help build momentum for passage.