Skip to main content

Criminal Justice Advocacy Program

U.S. Department of Justice - Bureau of Justice Statistics: Disabilities Among Prison and Jail Inmates

View this 18 Minute Roll Call Video for Law Enforcement on Effective Ways for First Responders to Communicate with People with I/DD.  This video was created by CJAP with the assistance of the Self-Advocacy Project and New Jersey law enforcement officers.  Produced with assistance from The NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities, it is free to download and use.

A Newsletter for the Disability and Criminal Justice Communities

What is Criminal Justice Advocacy?

There are at least 25,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the nation's prisons, and some studies indicate that the actual number may be twice that. This means that approximately 1 out of every 20 prisoners in the United States has a developmental disability. Offenders with a developmental disability face certain disadvantages at various stages while involved with the criminal justice system. The Criminal Justice Advocacy Program (CJAP) provides alternatives to incarceration on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities who are defendants in the criminal justice system, and is the only program of its kind in New Jersey.

The CJAP serves as a clearinghouse for information about offenders, victims and witnesses with developmental disabilities and serves as a liaison between the criminal justice and human service systems, monitoring the quality of care and service provided to those with developmental disabilities as they move from one system to another.

Please be advised that The Criminal Justice Advocacy Program does not provide legal advice or services. Legal service references can be found here. For more on what we do and how we can help, please click here.

View our program brochures below:

Additional Material:

Our Intake and Release of Information Form is required to advocate for an individual with intellectual and developmental disabilities that has been incarcerated and/or currently has pending charges.  Please return the completed forms to cjap@arcnj.org or via fax # 732.733.6804.  Download our Intake and Release of Information Form.

Quick Resources:

What does developmental disabilities include?

NJSBF Civics & A Plea for Help

Help get the word out about all the great FREE Civics resources that The New Jersey State Bar Foundation has to offer educators by sharing this video below.

- New Jersey State Bar Foundation

Here’s how you can find the Foundation on various platforms: 

  • @NJStateBarFdn on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter 
  • NEW JERSEY STATE BAR FOUNDATION on LinkedIn 

Thanks to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and participating Monmouth County law enforcement agencies for making this program a success.  At this time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no assignments of new cadets.  Please check this site in the future for new developments.

Registration for this program is currently closed. 

Left to right: Thomas Baffuto, The Arc of NJ; Ashley Brompton, Vera Institute; Jessica Oppenheim, The Arc of NJ; Leigh Ann Davis, The Arc of US; Robert Laurino, NJ Clergy Abuse Task Force; Leone Murphy, Trinitas Regional Medical Center; Michael Brower, DRNJ; Elizabeth Shea, Porzio Bromberg Law Firm

Partners in Justice Law and Law Enforcement Summit

On March 2 2020, The Arc of New Jersey hosted a Partners in Justice Law and Law Enforcement Summit entitled, "Preventing Sexual Abuse and Harassment of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities." The event, held at the New Jersey Law Center, included an opening keynote highlighting national efforts on this topic, a morning panel on communications between individuals with IDD and law enforcement, and an afternoon panel which focused on guardianship and sexual consent. This project is co-sponsored by the NJ State Bar Association, The NJ Institute of Continuing Legal Education and the NJ State Bar Foundation, and made possible through funding from the IOLTA Fund of the NJ State Bar. We would like to thank our speakers, sponsors, attendees and funders for helping make this event happen.  

Speaker's Presentation Handouts

Equal Justice Talks

2021-2022 Webinar Series

We would like to welcome everyone to our exciting new webinar series​​ "What I Need to Know" for Support Coordinators, Direct Support Providers, Families, Advocates and Community Members.  This 10 episode series of free monthly webinars on "What I Need to Know" will discuss topics on the criminal justice system, Megan's Law, Mental Health, substance abuse, and more.

On the Third Thursday of each month, from 2pm to 3pm EST, you can hear live presentations about Medicaid/SSI rules and regulations as they apply to people with criminal histories; sexual civil rights; cognitive capacity to consent; guardianship issues; defending the client with disabilities; interview techniques when working with a person with disabilities and many other topics.

To see more information on the current and past archived webinars click here

Never miss a webinar again! Click here to receive future webinar announcements

Equal Justice Newsletter- A Newsletter for the Disability and Criminal Justice Communities
This newsletter was created to bring information to you when we are not able to conference and train in person, full of links, articles and information to help you work with people with IDD. Our hope is that this newsletter can keep you apprised of many of the issues that we have worked on together and will continue to address as we go forward.

Resources

  • Criminal Justice Advocacy Program Podcast Recordings

  • NJ Courts Link, Applying for Guardianship, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, NJ Courts Self Help Resource Center, Public Defender Application for Municipal Court, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services- Request for Fee Waiver, A Guide For attorneys to assist with individuals with IDD who become involved in the criminal justice system, New Jersey County Jails Resources, and Crisis Resource Contacts

  • DDD / DMHS / CCW- How they may be helpful. CCW Application Fact Sheet and CCW Renewal Fact Sheet, Directory of Mental Health Services link, Directions to the New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services, DDD Intake Application - in both English and Spanish

  • How to Apply for Guardianship of the Person of an Individual Eligible for Services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Personal Health Record and Medical History Forms in English & Spanish, The Arc of New Jersey Family Institute link, NJ Courts - Self Help Resource Center, Understanding the DDD Eligibility Process, Family guide for navigating the NJ Service System for an individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Catholic Charities Transitional Housing Program Application, Transportation Option in NJ, Choosing a Support Coordinator, Support Coordination Agencies List, Support Coordination Agency Selection Form

  • New Jersey Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Resources, New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry List, Type of problems law enforcement may have while work with an sexual offender with an I/DD. Why some individuals with an IDD have inappropriate sexual behavior. Megan's Law information and resources. Resources & Information on The Arc of US: National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability and ATSA (Association for treatment on sexual abusers).

  • This monthly webinar series hosted by The Criminal Justice Program presents experts on a broad range of issues related to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who become involved in the criminal justice system as defendants, victims and witnesses. On the Third Thursday of each month, from 2pm to 3pm EST, you can register free of charge to hear live presentations about Medicaid/SSI rules and regulations as they apply to people with criminal histories; sexual civil rights; cognitive capacity to consent; guardianship issues; defending the client with disabilities; interview techniques when working with a person with disabilities and many other topics. This project is cosponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and made possible through funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey.

Court & Lawyer Referral Services


 

CJAP Staff Contact Information

 

Close