Prison
Prison

After releasing 40% of state prison inmates over COVID concerns, Testa fears Phil Murphy is not done yet

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1 min read
February 3, 2022

TRENTON, NJ – Senator Michael Testa warned that a new round of prisoner releases and pandemic mandates by the Murphy administration will make New Jersey less safe and put corrections officers at risk.

“Governor Murphy used the cover of the pandemic to release 40% of the inmates from New Jersey’s prisons over the last two years,” said Testa (R-1). “With thousands of inmates set free without effective oversight or support, it’s no surprise that some of our cities are struggling with record levels of violent crimes.”

According to NJ.com, more than 5,300 prisoners were released early from incarceration during the initial COVID-related public health emergency that stretched from March 2020 to June 2021.

Following the mass releases, Paterson set records for homicides in each of the last two years, as reported by The Record.

The Murphy administration has said that another wave of prisoner releases can be expected following Governor Murphy’s declaration of a new public health emergency earlier this month.

“Early release has proven to be a tragically bad policy for some of New Jersey’s urban communities,” said Testa. “Governor Murphy has a responsibility to stop the problem he created from getting worse.”

Testa also pointed to another pandemic policy that risks putting corrections officers in greater danger inside the walls of our prisons.

Last week, Governor Murphy followed his new emergency declaration with another executive order imposing a stricter vaccine mandate for corrections officers that eliminates a testing alternative to vaccination.

Under the order, officers who don’t comply with the vaccination requirement would be fired from their jobs, even if they have naturally acquired immunity from a prior infection, which is scientifically proven to offer protection similar to or greater than that achieved through vaccination.

In response, the State PBA, which represents corrections officers, said they’re going to take the Murphy administration to court to challenge the order.

“Corrections officers know that the new vaccine mandate puts their safety at risk if they don’t have enough staff to keep our prisons under control,” added Testa. “Maybe Governor Murphy thinks it won’t matter if he fires a bunch of prison guards since he’s letting all of the inmates out anyway. One thing’s for sure, the governor’s pandemic prison policies will make New Jersey less safe for everyone.”

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.

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