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NJDOC tells senators staffing, infrastructure and safety improvements are reducing recidivism
Summary
NJDOC officials told the Senate Budget Committee the prison population is steady at 13,000, recidivism is below 5%, staffing attrition has fallen and capital projects (including a new women's facility) are planned; senators pressed on Northern State infrastructure, overtime and costly leases.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections told the Senate Budget Committee that several staffing and infrastructure initiatives are yielding measurable results while the department continues to seek funds to finish capital work and address safety risks.
In opening testimony, the department said the incarcerated population has held steady at about 13,000. Demographics provided to the committee reported roughly 61% Black, 24% White and 19% Hispanic or Latino; the department said about 72% of people in state prison are serving sentences for violent offenses and many serve mandatory minimum terms. The commissioner told the committee the recidivism rate has been under 5% for three years.
NJDOC described three workforce changes as major contributors to recent improvements: statutory authority adopted in January 2021 allowing direct hiring into the academy (S3672), labor contracts settled in October 2023 that increased wages, and a 2024 recruitment campaign. The department said attrition has fallen from historical highs to roughly nine separations per pay period and academy class sizes have grown by about 50%.
Lawmakers also discussed infrastructure. The commissioner reported progress at Garden State Correctional Facility and said capital commission funding has been awarded to begin repairs at Northern State Prison to address plumbing, roofing and HVAC problems cited in a 2024 ombudsperson inspection report. The department said capital procurement schedules mean some repairs will phase over time, with housing‑unit closures and rotations used to complete work while maintaining operations.
On the female population, the department said a new women's facility is planned on the Wagner Youth Correctional Facility grounds: roughly 440 beds on about 33 acres. Architect and construction management contracts were awarded in February–March, and with phase‑2 construction funds they anticipate starting construction mid‑to‑late 2026, partial occupancy in 2027 and final completion in 2028.
Senators pressed the department about overtime and alleged outlier compensation. The department acknowledged high overtime remains linked to staffing shortages and mandatory training; it said roughly 78% of overtime is driven by vacancies, mandatories and staffing patterns. The department reported a prior COVID‑era reimbursement program covered a portion of overtime costs (assistant commissioner Geiss said about $7 million reimbursed), and noted the department has engaged external evaluators (National Institute of Corrections, CGL) to audit overtime and recommend staffing relief factors.
Committee members asked for follow‑up materials, including the ombudsperson’s Northern State report, the overtime audit findings, waiting‑list data for in‑facility education programs and details on the Aetna facility board agendas and minutes.
