New Jersey Statutes Title 46. Property 46 § 8-53

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.