New Jersey Governor Proposes Shrinking Drug-Free Zones

By Alison Gonzalez

Published on December 07, 2007

The governor and his appointed commission, as well as county prosecutors and the attorney general are calling for drug-free zones to be reduced in size by 80 percent from 1,000 feet to 200 feet.

In exchange, drug offenses will be upgraded from third degree to second degree crimes, increasing mandatory prison time for those convicted of such crimes.

The proposal comes on the heels of a report from the Government Efficiency and Reform Commission, which found that current school zone laws have not effectively deterred drug activities in the state. Existing laws blanket entire sections of many urban areas, placing an unfair burden on cities such as Camden and Atlantic City, among others.

The report also stated that because these areas generally have large populations of minorities, they are disproportionately affected by the laws. According to the report, blacks and Hispanics accounted for approximately 96 percent of those serving time for school zone offenses.

Although it bears the governor's stamp of approval, some lawmakers believe the proposal is too soft on crime and does little to decrease children's exposure to drug sales.

Still, advocates hope the proposal will toughen drug offense penalties enough to keep dealers away from children.

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