TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey legislature appears to be poised to approve a $13,000,000 expense to overlap shifts at New Jersey State prisons.
The Assembly Budget Committee presented a favorable report on Senate Bill No. 3839 (1R) with committee amendments.
The bill, as amended and reported by the committee, mandates the Commissioner of Corrections to implement a 10-minute shift overlap in all 11 correctional facilities within the state. The purpose of this overlap is to facilitate the exchange of information between correctional police officers, sergeants, and lieutenants at the beginning and end of their shifts. Additionally, the bill allocates $13,000,000 to the Department of Corrections.
The amended bill introduces the shift overlap to enhance the safety and well-being of both officers and inmates in correctional facilities. It allows for the sharing of crucial information between incoming and outgoing officers, particularly regarding issues like gang activities and contraband. Under the bill, when a correctional police officer’s shift concludes, they are required to remain for an additional 10 minutes to provide a report on the occurrences during their shift to the incoming officer. The amended bill appropriates $13,000,000 to the Department of Corrections to implement these provisions. The allocated funds will be distributed among correctional police officers, sergeants, and lieutenants, subject to the terms of a collective negotiation or collective bargaining agreement.
The Assembly Prison Gang Violence Task Force’s final report from December 12, 2006, reveals that the Department of Corrections (DOC) previously allowed shift overlap periods of up to 30 minutes. However, these periods were gradually reduced and eventually eliminated due to budget limitations.
As amended and reported, Senate Bill No. 3839 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 4061, which has also been amended and reported by the committee on the same date.