Gov. Christie Attends Opening Of Center For Non-Violent Drug Offenders
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Drug addiction has drawn Gov. Chris Christie, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and former Govs. Jim McGreevey and Tom Kean together.
On Monday the podium was put away and former Gov. McGreevey spoke to Gov. Christie Oprah style on upholstered chairs regarding treatment for non-violent drug offenders, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.
Christie said former inmates with addiction problems need help.
"If we acknowledge it's a disease, then we can begin to remove the stigma from the idea of second chances and treatment," he said.
McGreevey is the driving force behind Martin's Place, a new prisoner re-entry center in Jersey Center that opened Monday.
The facility is designed to help ex-offenders beat addiction and build solid foundations so they don't end up re-offending and back in jail.
Martin's Place provides treatment, transitional housing and job training for recently released inmates, Haskell reported.
McGreevey said the center provides the right kind of treatment and structure that is needed to help ex-offenders change their lives.
Pelosi's daughter, Alexandra, made an HBO documentary about McGreevey after his resignation that chronicled his new life working with prisoner re-entry programs.
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