GREENSTEIN/HUTTLE/RAMOS BILL REQUIRING VICTIMS OF CRIMINALLY INSANE TO BE TOLD OF RELEASE OK'D(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly members Linda R. Greenstein, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Ruben J. Ramos, Jr. sponsored to require victims of the criminally insane to be notified when their tormentor is released was released by an Assembly committee."Under no circumstances should a crime victim or their family find out second-hand that the person responsible for their pain is back on the street," said Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). "We need to make it crystal clear that victims' rights are paramount.""We must do everything in our power to ensure victims of crime are protected and feel safe in their own homes," said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). "Simple notification can give a crime victim the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the police are watching, too."The victim-notification measure (A-3349) also would apply when a person deemed criminally insane escapes or is transferred from a mental health facility or is allowed unsupervised community visits.Under current law, victims of crime are notified if the person convicted of the crime is released from custody. The measure would expand that right to cases where the person who commits the crime is acquitted by reason of insanity or is found unfit to stand trial."Crime victims deserve to be notified of an offender's release regardless of whether that offender is criminally insane or not," said Ramos (D-Hudson). "We must take all necessary steps to ensure that a victim's rights are upheld."The measure was released from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It now goes to the Assembly Speaker who decides if and when to post it for a floor vote.On the Net The Assembly Democratic Web site NJ Assembly Dems on YouTube NJ Assembly Dems e-mail alerts NJ Assembly Dems on Twitter NJ Assembly Dems on Flickr