By Maya Rao
The Philadelphia Inquirer
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A bill repealing a controversial program that mandated early release for certain prison inmates was signed into law Monday by Gov. Christie, hours after the measure had won final legislative approval.
“From a public-policy and public-safety point of view, the statutory early-release law was a disaster,” the governor said in a statement.
The Assembly voted by 72-3 for the legislation, which met conditions imposed by Christie in a conditional veto of a related measure.
Signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine on his last day in office, the initiative made headlines in recent months after revelations that two inmates released early were charged with separate homicides in Jersey City and Camden shortly afterward.
The program provided early release to some inmates due to leave prison in six months without supervision if they agreed to live in a halfway house or be assigned a parole officer.
In March, Christie sent back separate legislation that would have provided for automatic parole review after 10 years served, rather than the current three years, for inmates convicted of serious crimes. The parole board should be permitted to use its discretion, Christie said.
He then went a step further and recommended an end to the early-release program.
The Senate approved the bill, 34-1, to meet Christie’s suggestions late last month.
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D., Mercer), the sponsor of the original early-release law, expressed disappointment outside the Assembly chambers after Monday’s vote.
“This actually is a regressive move,” said Watson Coleman, who has said that the program, begun last May, reduced recidivism by providing monitoring for offenders during their transition into private life. It also would save on the high cost of incarceration, she said.
Watson Coleman fielded harsh criticism from Christie, who blamed her in March after a killing committed in Jersey City by an inmate released early.
She said Christie’s proposal won widespread approval from legislators “because the governor chose to incite people with fear-mongering. ... I think it’s an uncivilized debate that we had, totally unnecessary, and I look forward to his growing up.”
Watson Coleman, Albert Coutinho (D., Essex), and L. Grace Spencer (D., Essex) were the only legislators to vote against the bill Monday.
Several Republicans released statements praising the repeal.
“Repealing the early-release statute corrects a flawed law which has put the public at risk,” Assemblyman David Rible (R., Monmouth) said in an e-mail. “While rehabilitating criminals is a goal of our corrections program, government’s top priority is always to protect its citizens.”
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