The New Jersey SAFE Task Force

95 Pages·2013·0.65 MB·English

by  Paul Salvatoriello

The New Jersey SAFE Task Force
on Gun Protection, Addiction,
Mental Health and Families, and
Education Safety

Report to Governor Chris Christie

April 10, 2013
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April 10, 2013
The Honorable Christopher Christie
Governor
State of New Jersey
State House
125 West State Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0001

Dear Governor Christie,

On behalf of our colleagues on the New Jersey SAFE Task Force on Gun Protection, Addiction,
Mental Health and Families, and Education Safety, we are pleased to present you with our
Report.

Since you convened us in January, we have worked hard to examine, in a comprehensive way,
the root causes of mass violence in our society and arrive at recommendations that can help
mitigate those causes. As you directed, and as the Report reflects, we have explored the role that
gun control, mental health and addiction, media violence, and school security measures play in
protecting the safety of New Jersey residents.

We believe that we have compiled a set of 50 recommendations that are both aspirational in
their reach and practical in their implementation. In making our recommendations to you, we
remain mindful of the budgetary constraints on our State. We hope that this Report will assist
you in prioritizing those initiatives you feel are most appropriate.

Thank you for the opportunity to advise you on these significant matters.

Sincerely,

Peter G. Verniero John J. Degnan
Co-Chair Co-Chair
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The New Jersey SAFE Task Force
on Gun Protection, Addiction,
Mental Health and Families, and
Education Safety

The Honorable Peter G. Verniero
Co-Chair

The Honorable John J. Degnan
Co-Chair

Dr. Manuel Guantez
Chief Executive Officer
Turning Point, Inc.

Mr. James Romer
Program Director
Barnabas Health, Monmouth Medical Center

Ms. Evelyn Sullivan
Managing Director
Daytop Village of New Jersey

Dr. Brian Zychowski
Superintendent
North Brunswick Public Schools

Staff
Lee Vartan
Ron Susswein
Paul Salvatoriello
Joseph Fanaroff
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Report of the NJ SAFE Task Force v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ vii

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER 1
KEEPING GUNS OUT OF THE WRONG HANDS: PREVENTING VIOLENCE
THROUGH THE REASONABLE REGULATION AND RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP OF
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION ................................................................................................. 3
I. The Need for a Deliberative, Balanced, and Realistic Approach to New
Gun Control Laws ................................................................................................................. 3
II. Setting Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................ 5
III. Overview of New Jersey’s Gun Laws ..................................................................................... 6
IV. Identifying Problems That Need to be Addressed ................................................................ 9
A. Accessing and Using Mental Health Information to Inform the Decision
Whether to Approve an Identification Card or Permit Application ........................ 9
B. Addressing Changed Circumstances after Firearms Credentials are Issued ........... 13
C. Preventing Unauthorized Access to Lawfully-Owned Firearms ............................. 14
D. Enhancing the Deterrence and Detection of Unlawful Handgun
Ammunition Purchases .......................................................................................... 16
E. Enhancing the Deterrence and Detection of “Straw Purchasers” .......................... 18
F. Calibrating the Maximum Capacity of Ammunition Magazines ............................ 20
G. Interstate Agreement to Share Information ........................................................... 22
V. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER 2
URBAN VIOLENCE: THE NEED TO DEVELOP A SEPARATE, COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE DISTINCTIVE ROOT CAUSES OF NEW JERSEY’S
URBAN GUN VIOLENCE ........................................................................................................... 29
I. The Toll That Persistent Gun Violence Takes Upon Urban Residents ............................. 29
II. Building on the Foundation of Existing Urban Violence Reduction Initiatives ................. 30
III. The Distinctive Characteristics of Urban Gun Violence .................................................... 32
IV. Refining and Updating New Jersey’s Criminal Gun Laws ................................................... 34
V. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 37

CHAPTER 3
MENTAL HEALTH: THE INTERPLAY OF MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
AND GUN VIOLENCE ................................................................................................................ 39
I. Examining the Possible Link Between Mental Illness and Gun Violence .......................... 39
A. Myths and Misconceptions ..................................................................................... 39
B. Stigma ..................................................................................................................... 40
C. Research on Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and Violence ................................ 41
D. Mental Illness as a Means of Predicting Future Violence ....................................... 42
E. Mental Illness, Gun Violence, and Schools ............................................................ 43
vi Report of the NJ SAFE Task Force

II. An Overview of State Mental Health and Addiction Services .......................................... 45
A. The Department of Children and Families ............................................................. 45
B. The Department of Human Services ...................................................................... 46
C. Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement................................................................... 47
III. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 49

CHAPTER 4
VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA: UNDERSTANDING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF
VIOLENT MEDIA, AND ENSURING WE MAKE APPROPRIATE MEDIA CHOICES FOR
OUR CHILDREN .......................................................................................................................... 55
I. Studies in Conflict ............................................................................................................... 56
II. Opinion of the Courts Through the Lens of the First Amendment ................................... 60
III. Review of the Media Industries, and the Industries’ Voluntary Rating Systems ................ 61
IV. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 62

CHAPTER 5
KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE: SCHOOL SECURITY AND OUR EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PROTOCOLS ........................................................................................................... 65
I. Historical Overview ............................................................................................................ 65
A. School Shootings ..................................................................................................... 65
B. Publicizing Intentions Prior to an Attack Through the Use of Social Media ......... 66
C. Weapons Acquisition .............................................................................................. 67
D. Commonalities of Shooters ..................................................................................... 67
E. Role of Bullying in School Violence ........................................................................ 67
II. New Jersey’s School Security Efforts ................................................................................... 68
A. K-12 School Security Task Force (SSTF) ............................................................... 68
B. Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning ........................................ 69
C. School Security Drill Law ....................................................................................... 70
D. New Minimum Requirements – Security Plans ...................................................... 70
E. Making Our Schools Safe (M.O.S.S.) Districts ...................................................... 72
F. Anti-Bullying Measures ........................................................................................... 72
G. Safer Schools for a Better Tomorrow ...................................................................... 72
III. Using School Resource Officers or Others to Protect Schools ........................................... 75
IV. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 79
Report of the NJ SAFE Task Force vii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Guided by the Governor’s Executive Order creating the NJ SAFE Task Force, this Report focuses
on the following areas: (i) gun control; (ii) urban violence; (iii) mental illness, substance abuse,
and gun violence; (iv) violence in the media; and (v) school security. Each chapter contains a
detailed discussion that leads to recommendations for action.
The recommendations by subject area are as follows:
Gun Control
1.1 Clarify the Effect of Involuntary Outpatient Civil Commitment on an Applicant’s Eligibility to
Obtain a Firearm Purchaser Identification Card or Handgun Purchase Permit. See page 23.

1.2 Clarify an Applicant’s Duty to Disclose His or Her History of Mental Health/Addictions
Evaluation and Treatment. See page 23.

1.3 Require that Firearms Purchaser Identification Cards be Renewed Periodically. See page 24.

1.4 Require Courts to Order the Surrender or Seizure of Firearms Purchaser Identification Cards
and Firearms Upon Conviction of a Crime, or Upon Involuntary Commitment. See page 24.

1.5 Ensure Appropriate Punishment for the Failure to Comply with a Court Order to Surrender
Firearms Purchaser Identification Cards or Firearms. See page 24.

1.6 Ensure Appropriate Criminal and Civil Sanctions for the Failure of Gun Owner to Take
Reasonable Precautions in Preventing Access by Minors or Persons Who Are Statutorily
Disqualified From Acquiring or Possessing a Firearm. See page 24.

1.7 Authorize Courts to Order the Seizure of a Person’s Firearms Following an Arrest or Initiation
of Civil Commitment Proceedings. See page 25.

1.8 Encourage and Facilitate the Voluntary Surrender of Lawfully-Owned Firearms for Safekeeping
During Periods of Crisis. See page 25.

1.9 Ensure Appropriate Punishment for the Unlawful Possession of, or Attempt to Acquire,
Ammunition. See page 25.

1.10 Enhance Security Procedures for Remote Ammunition Purchases. See page 25.

1.11 Modernize Firearms Purchaser Identification Cards to Include Cardholder Photographs. See
page 26.
viii Report of the NJ SAFE Task Force

1.12 Require Sellers to Verify Buyers’ Identity. See page 26.

1.13 Ensure Appropriate Punishment for Tampering with Official Firearms Documents or False
Personation. See page 26.

1.14 Require Purchasers to Declare Their Intention to Transfer Purchased Firearms/Ammunition to
Another. See page 26.

1.15 Enact a New Criminal Law to Specifically Prohibit “Straw Purchases.” See page 27.

1.16 Require Sellers to Report Tampering or False Information in the Course of a
Firearms/Ammunition Transaction. See page 27.

1.17 Establish an Interstate Agreement to Share Information. See page 27.

Urban Violence

2.1 Develop a Comprehensive Law Enforcement and Prosecution Strategy to Address Urban Gun
Violence. See page 37.

2.2 Make the Graves Act Apply to Assault Firearms. See page 37.

2.3 Permit Greater Flexibility in Reducing a Graves Act Sentence to Account for Aggravating or
Mitigating Circumstances, and to Encourage Cooperation Agreements. See page 38.

2.4 Ensure that Graves Act Sentences Reflect the Dangers Posed by a Defendant’s Offense
Conduct. See page 38.

2.5 Require Appropriate Bail for Graves Act Offenders, and Authorize Restraining Orders and
Pretrial Release Conditions to Protect Public Safety. See page 38.

2.6 Ensure Appropriate Punishment for Criminals Who Maintain an Arsenal. See page 38.

Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and Gun Violence

3.1 Create an Interagency Working Group on Violence Reduction. See page 49.

3.2 Place Greater Emphasis on Early Intervention and Crisis Prevention. See page 52.

3.3 Prioritize Those in Crisis. See page 52.

3.4 Expand Access to Outpatient Services. See page 52.