Official Site of The State of New Jersey

MONTCLAIR – Second Look New Jersey and the organization's members and partners will be hosting Second Chance Conference NJ on Monday, June 3, 2024, from 8 am to 5 pm at Montclair State University.

This conference will feature a full day of panels, presentations, and workshops educating on and advocating for Second Chance criminal justice policy in New Jersey. Particularly, discussions will focus on the Second Look legislation, known as New Jersey Senate Bill 2338 (NJ S2338), which provides a resentencing path for people 60 and over who have served 20 years or more and for people 62 and over who have served more than 30 years for murder. The conference will also include stories from formerly incarcerated individuals as well as calls to action and ways attendees can be further involved in Second Chance initiatives.

“Second Look is about providing pathways for release for elderly prisoners who have served substantial time in prison. These individuals are not only expensive to incarcerate but pose little risk of reoffense,” said Campaign Organizer Reverend J. Amos Caley. “We believe such policies—including NJ S2338—promote a more just criminal legal system, and we look forward to discussing this important issue with our community during the upcoming conference.”

Speakers at Second Chance Conference NJ will include:

• Reverend Dr. Charles Franklin Boyer, Pastor of Greater Mount Zion A.M.E. Church
• John Butler, Policy Advisor at the Office of Governor Phil Murphy
• Reverend J. Amos Caley, Pastor at the Reformed Church of Highland Park
• Jared Hunter, Senior Organizer at Salvation and Social Justice
• Jonathan Koppell, Montclair State University President
• Matthew Platkin, New Jersey Attorney General
• Jessica Ramirez, New Jersey State Assembly, District 32
• Racquel Romans-Henry, Director of Policy at Salvation and Social Justice
• Jennifer Sellitti, New Jersey Public Defender
• Dan Sperrazza, Executive Director at the New Jersey Department of Corrections
• Shawn Weneta, Policy Manager at REFORM Alliance

To learn more and register for Second Chance Conference NJ, click here.

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