Requires YJC to publish information regarding juveniles who were waived to adult criminal court and are serving custodial sentences in State juvenile facilities.

S3923

SENATE, No. 3923

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires YJC to publish information regarding
juveniles who were waived to adult criminal court and are serving custodial
sentences in State juvenile facilities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning certain juveniles and amending P.L.2019,
c.363.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 18 of P.L.2019,
c.363 (C.52:17B-171.14) is amended to read as follows:

���� 18.� a. �The Youth Justice
Commission shall establish a program to collect, record, and analyze data
regarding juveniles who were sentenced to a term of incarceration.� In
furtherance of this program, the commission shall collect the following data:

���� (1)�� the offense for which
the juvenile was incarcerated; the term of incarceration imposed on the
juvenile, including a term of incarceration imposed for a violation of parole;
the age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the juvenile; the county where the
juvenile was adjudicated delinquent; the classification of the juvenile; and
whether the juvenile was sentenced to an extended term of incarceration;

���� (2)�� aggregate data of
incidents of violence, suicide, suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and any
form of segregation or isolation of a juvenile for all facilities where
juveniles are placed; and

���� (3)�� the amount of time
remaining on each sentence of incarceration imposed on a juvenile whose parole
was revoked; whether the violation that was the basis for the revocation was
technical or based upon a new offense; the age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the
juvenile; and the county where the juvenile's parole was revoked by the court.

���� b.��� The commission shall
prepare and publish on its Internet website biennial reports summarizing the
aggregated data collected, recorded, and analyzed pursuant to subsection a. of
this section.

���� c.���� The commission shall
publish on its Internet website the criteria that are used to determine whether
a juvenile is granted parole.� The commission also shall provide this
information to every juvenile who is sentenced to a term of incarceration.

����
d.��� (1) The commission
shall establish and maintain a registry, which shall be made available to the
public on its Internet website, containing information regarding juveniles
whose cases were waived to adult criminal court and are serving custodial
sentences in a State juvenile facility operated by the commission pursuant to
subsection f. of section 1 of P.L.2015, c.89 (C.2A:4A-26.1) and juveniles who
elected to have their cases waived to adult criminal court pursuant to section
8 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-27) and are serving a custodial sentence in a
State juvenile facility operated by the commission.

����
(2)�� The information
contained in the registry required to be established pursuant to paragraph (1)
of this subsection shall include the juvenile�s name; sentence; the name of the
facility where the juvenile is serving a custodial sentence; parole eligibility
or release date; criminal history; and any other information deemed appropriate
by the commission.

(cf:� P.L.2025, c.35, s.76)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the Youth
Justice Commission (YJC) to publish information regarding juveniles who were
waived to adult criminal court and are serving custodial sentences in State
juvenile facilities.

���� Under current law, upon a
juvenile�s case being waived to adult criminal court, the case is to proceed as
if it originated in that court and the juvenile is subject to the sentencing
provisions available to that court.� However, upon conviction for any offense
which is subject to waiver pursuant to current law, there is a presumption that
the juvenile is to serve any custodial sentence imposed in a State juvenile
facility operated by the YJC until the juvenile reaches age 21.� In addition,
current law provides that a juvenile who has reached or exceeds the age of 21
may continue to serve a sentence in a State juvenile facility operated by the YJC
at the discretion of the YJC and if the juvenile consents.

���� Under the provisions of this
bill, the YJC is required to establish and maintain a registry, which is to be
made available to the public on its Internet website, containing information
regarding juveniles who are serving a custodial sentence in a State juvenile
facility operated by the YJC because their case was waived without their
consent or they elected to have their case waived.

���� Under the bill, the
information contained in the registry is to include the juvenile�s name;
sentence; the name of the facility where the juvenile is serving a custodial
sentence; parole eligibility or release date; criminal history; and any other
information deemed appropriate by the commission.