The Newark Police Department and the state Parole Board have teamed up to keep a closer eye on parolees who are deemed more likely to commit crimes again and catch the ones who have illegally slipped away, reports the Star-Ledger. City police and parole officers who are in charge of about 1,300 ex-prisoners on parole in the Newark will share information in weekly strategy meetings, make unannounced home visits and perform other joint operations targeting problem parolees. Newark is the fifth city in the state to sign up for the partnership, joining Irvington, Camden, Jersey City and Union City.
The program will focus on ex-prisoners who have moved away without approval or parolees who may commit crimes again because they have not taken steps such as seeking employment or keeping in touch with their parole officer, said Sgt. William Small, a state Parole Board official. Hel said the majority of the approximately 6,000 parolees in New Jersey are arrested on technical violations such as failure to meet their parole officer. Newark Police Director Garry McCarthy said tackling those violations will prevent other crimes from happening. “This is not throwing a wide net. This is intelligence-led policing,” he said.