Criminal Justice
Corrections officer indicted in alleged beating of man who later died
Corrections Officer Giuseppe Mandara was charged with official misconduct in the alleged beating of Darrell Smith, who died a few days later.
Some bills left in limbo after breakneck June voting sessions
June is a dizzying time in Trenton, with lawmakers passing hundreds of bills. But hundreds more are stuck in limbo until the fall.
Bill would allow DACA recipients to become New Jersey cops, correctional officers
New Jersey corrections officials say expanding their hiring pool to include DACA recipients could help reduce staffing shortages.
Court ruling in police disciplinary records battle a blow for transparency, critics warn
Transparency advocates hoped the state's high court would require losers of public records disputes to pay attorneys' fees. It did not.
Bill would expand effort to give nonviolent offenders mental health treatment
The programs allows people with mental disorders facing criminal charges to avoid jail time and have their charges expunged.
Senate passes bills to toughen car theft penalties
Senators approved bills to heighten penalties for people who steal cars or car parts, especially repeat offenders and crime-ring members.
Lawmakers seek end to public defender fees, liens
New legislation would stop fees imposed on defendants who cannot afford an attorney and allow public defenders in parole revocation hearings.
Lawmaker wants new state division to keep track of cannabis-related offenses
The bill aims to create a database similar to one Colorado uses to keep track of cannabis-involved charges, including driving under the influence.
Bill to expand electronic monitoring of violent offenders sparks concern
Lawmakers say expanded electronic monitoring would protect victims from dangerous abusers. Critics worry about fines, racial impact, and more.
Police training company takes fight against state probe to federal court
Street Cop Training asked a federal judge to intervene in a state probe of a controversial conference it hosted for N.J. police officers.
New bill would set time limit on state watchdog’s lengthy investigations
A state watchdog created to crack down on corruption takes so long to investigate that a lawmaker has introduced a bill to speed up its work.
U.S. House Republicans spar with HHS secretary over transgender youth, child labor
Republicans at a U.S. House hearing grilled the Biden administration official about gender-affirming care for transgender minors.