46:8-53 Findings, declarations regarding housing to those with criminal records.
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Recent research indicates that New Jersey suffers from a tragically high 36-month recidivism rate of over 30 percent;
b. Housing instability appears to impact recidivism, considering that over one in 10 prisoners in the United States face homelessness upon release;
c. Research from other states indicates a substantial increase in the likelihood of a parolee's arrest following each change in address, further supporting the conclusion that when ex-convicts are unable to find stable housing, recidivism becomes more likely and public safety is diminished;
d. Prior to the 1990s when popular guidance documents began advising landlords to conduct criminal background checks on prospective tenants, criminal background information was not widely-available and convenient to landlords for informing rental decisions, but many landlords were nonetheless able to maintain safe and healthy rental properties; and
e. It is, therefore, necessary and in the public interest for the Legislature to enact legislation for the purpose of establishing certain housing rights of persons with criminal records.
L.2021, c.110, s.2.