TRENTON, N.J. – A bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate would reduce the compensation paid to civilly committed sexually violent predators who perform institutional work, aligning their pay with the rate earned by state prison inmates rather than the state minimum wage.
Sponsored by Senator James W. Holzapfel of Monmouth and Ocean counties, the measure would amend existing law governing the treatment and management of sexually violent predators housed at state-run secure facilities. Under the bill, those individuals would receive the same rate of pay as state inmates for comparable institutional assignments such as kitchen, laundry, or maintenance work.
Currently, individuals civilly committed under the Sexually Violent Predator Act are paid the state minimum wage for institutional labor. The proposed change would lower that rate to match the compensation structure for state inmates, which is significantly lower.
According to a prior report by the State Auditor, reducing the compensation of civilly committed offenders to inmate pay levels could save the state roughly $1.9 million annually. The auditor’s recommendation covered operations between July 2012 and June 2014 and cited the disparity in pay as a major cost issue for the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services.
Holzapfel said the bill ensures parity between the compensation systems for those in custody and those civilly committed after serving criminal sentences, while addressing a long-standing budget concern identified by the auditor.
The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.
A New Jersey Senate bill would reduce pay for civilly committed sexually violent predators to match inmate wages, potentially saving the state nearly $2 million a year.
