New Jersey Legislator Looking To Streamline The Way In Which Minor Drug Cases Are Handled
By David Madden
PARAMUS, NJ (CBS) -- There is a proposal in the New Jersey legislature to encourage counties across the state to centralize courts to handle drug cases more efficiently.
Paramus Democratic State Assemblyman Joseph Lagana wants to give counties the option of streamlining minor drug cases, which now bounce between county prosecutors and municipal courts.
"Any county in the state would set up a central municipal court which would operate as a drug court and they would oversee the drug charges; fourth degree and petty, disorderly person drug charges that are either downgraded or would normally go through the process of the municipal courts."
The idea here is to promote uniformity in how these cases are handled. Most of them involve users in need of help, rather than jail time, but if someone violated the terms of their treatment program, jail could be the next step.
The measure has been referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
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