Bars from a prison jail cast a shadow on the floro.
Bars from a prison jail cast a shadow on the floro.

Ten minute shift overlap in NJ prisons to cost taxpayers $13,000,000

Posted by
1 min read
June 29, 2023


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.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.