New Jersey to Provide Social Services Coordinators to Defendants on Pre-trial Release

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TRENTON, N.J. — A new bill introduced in the New Jersey Legislature would allow counties to appoint a pretrial release coordinator tasked with connecting eligible criminal defendants to social services and public assistance programs while awaiting trial.

Under the proposed legislation, county governments could adopt ordinances or resolutions to appoint a coordinator responsible for evaluating the needs of defendants who have been charged with indictable or disorderly persons offenses and released pretrial. The coordinator’s role includes assessing access to services like Medicaid, housing aid, addiction treatment, and employment assistance.

“The county pretrial release coordinator shall offer assistance to the defendant in accessing any services deemed…