New Jersey DOC Adult Pay to Stay Policy
| Submitted | Dec. 15, 2022 |
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Communications
From: Wayne Byun
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
The following materials regarding the imposition, assessment, collection and balances of inmate fees and debt:
a) All current policies and procedures regarding medical and room & board costs or fees for which inmates are or may become liable. Please include all policies and procedures related to how fees are set, accrued, imposed, collected, and enforced (such as those related to per diem fees, ability to pay determinations, penalties for late or non-payment, authorization for civil or criminal action for payment enforcement, etc).
b) All reports, databases, spreadsheets, or equivalent materials regarding debts/restitution paid to or owed to this department or any facility/agency under its jurisdiction in FY2021. Please include all relevant data regarding medical and room & board costs, including the number of individuals charged for medical and room & board costs or fees and the total amount of medical and room & board fees imposed in FY2021.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 7 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Wayne Byun
From: State of New Jersey Department of Corrections
Dear Mr. Byun,
The policy dealing with inmate payment responsibility is attached. Inmates are responsible for co-pays.
The remainder of your request cannot be fulfilled pursuant to MAG Entertainment LLC v. Division of Alcohol Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534 (App. Div. 2005) as any records related to debts owed/paid would be kept with each individual inmate. You may wish to inquire with Rutgers which provides medical services to the inmate population.
You have a right to challenge the decision by the Department of Corrections. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint in writing with the Government Records Council (GRC). You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511<tel:866-850-0511>, by mail at P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ 08625, by e-mail at grc@dca.state.nj.us<mailto:grc@dca.state.nj.us>, or at their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc<http://www.state.nj.us/grc>. The Council can also answer other questions about the law.
Thank you,
John Falvey
NJDOC Records Custodian
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From: Wayne Byun
Dear John,
Thank you very much for your response. I understand that you are not able to share any individual records. Are you able to share any aggregate fee information, i.e., the total amount of room & board or medical fees that the DOC charged or collected in FY21, or share such information with the confidential individual information redacted?
Thank you again for your help.
Wayne
From: State of New Jersey Department of Corrections
Dear Wayne,
Collection of co-pays were suspended if FY21 due to Covid.
John Falvey
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