ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS WEIGH PRISON REHAB REFORM AT SPECIAL HEARING IN PATERSON (PATERSON) – Assembly Democrats released the following statements Wednesday at a special hearing focusing on improving education and training to help those released from prison avoid returning to crime. The Second Chance hearing was the fourth convened by Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman. Watson Coleman (D-Mercer): “This is a complex problem that we must solve for the good of all New Jersey taxpayers. We cannot expect to end the pervasive cycle of arrest, incarceration, release and re-incarceration if prison conditions don’t promote rehabilitation. This insidious cycle has a terrible impact on our economy, our families and our communities and prison conditions must encourage reintegration into society.”Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) “Once someone has served their time and paid their debt, we cannot push them aside. This nightmarish cycle of arrest, imprisonment, release and more imprisonment harms our economy, wastes taxpayer money and destroys families and communities. This is a complex problem, but is also one we must not be afraid to confront.” Assemblywoman Elease Evans (D-Passaic): “New Jersey needs a substantive and strategic rehab plan for exiting prison, and those services cannot just start when inmates are released. They must be accessible from the first day a person enters the prison system to help them break this cycle of re-incarceration.” Previous Second Chance hearings were held in Newark, Somerset and Trenton. The hearings have drawn thousands of people and received an overwhelming response from community groups, religious leaders, advocates, law enforcement professionals and residents. The next hearing after Wednesday’s is planned for Friday, Jan. 23 in Atlantic City from 3 to 8 p.m. at Second Baptist Church at 110 Rev. Isaac S. Coles Plaza. On the Net: www.assemblydems.com www.youtube.com/user/njassemblydems New Jersey Assembly Democrats on Facebook