Problem-Solving Courts

Federal Problem-Solving Courts in New Jersey

The District of New Jersey has four problem-solving courts.  These four courts include (1) a pretrial court in Newark (“POP”) that serves individuals with criminal histories driven by drug addiction who have pled guilty and are on pretrial release who are awaiting sentencing, and (2) reentry courts in Camden, Trenton, and Newark, New Jersey, who serve individuals who have completed their term of federal incarceration and are on supervised release, but who are at a high risk of reoffending.

New Jersey Pretrial Services Operation Court (NJ POP)

NJ POP is a pretrial-post conviction drug court designed to provide the incentive for life altering changes to participants who successfully complete the four phases of the program-1) Bail Supervision; 2) POP Pretrial; 3) POP Post-Conviction; and 4) Post-Conviction Supervision. Sentencing alternatives are guided by program participant’s compliance with release conditions-such as adhering to treatment plan, punctual attendance at court sessions, and refraining from illicit drugs and alcohol use.

Participants receive multidimensional supervision from the POP team, which consists of two district court judges, the Honorable Katharine S. Hayden and the Honorable Esther Salas, and members of the United States Pretrial Services, United States Probation and liaison counsel from the offices of the United States Attorney and the Federal Public Defender.

Reentry Court – Camden, Trenton, and Newark

The District of New Jersey’s reentry courts are designed to help returning citizens successfully "reenter" society following their incarceration, thereby reducing recidivism, improving public safety, saving money, and greatly improving the lives of returning citizens and their families.  The reentry courts serve people who are at a moderate to high risk of reoffending when released from federal prison to serve a term of supervised release.  In addition to their supervision by a U.S. Probation Officer assigned to reentry court, participants appear as a group before federal judges every other week to report their progress. After successfully completing 52 weeks, participants are eligible for a reduction of their supervised release period of up to one year.  The program provides participants with close supervision, tangible support services including job placement and training, education, treatment, and counseling; as well as the access to a network of support services for housing, re-establishing valid identification, reinstatement of driving privileges, child support, and other domestic, health or legal issues that affect successful re-entry into society.

During his visit to Newark in November 2015, President Obama lauded Newark’s reentry court and its partners as an example of extraordinary work in rehabilitating prisoners and reintegrating former inmates into society.

The Trenton Reentry Court is presided over by the the Honorable Zahid N. Quraishi, U.S.D.J. and the Honorable Tonianne J. Bongiovanni, U.S.M.J.  The Camden Reentry Court is presided over by the Honorable Karen M. Williams, U.S.D.J. and the Honorable Matthew J. Skahill, U.S.M.J.  The Newark Reentry Court is presided over by the Honorable Jessica S. Allen, U.S.D.J., and the Honorable Michael A. Hammer, U.S.M.J.  In addition to the federal judges and the U.S Probation officers, the reentry court team is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Public Defender’s Office.

For more information regarding Newark’s POP Court, please contact Social Workers Amanda Maxwell at Amanda.Maxwell@usdoj.gov or Lorna Woodham at Lorna.Woodham@usdoj.gov or AUSA Angelica Sinople at Angelica.Sinople@usdoj.gov. For information on Camden’s Reentry Court, please contact Paralegal and Reentry Court Coordinator Kelli McIntyre at Kelli.Mcintyre@usdoj.gov or AUSA Andy Johns at andrew.johns@usdoj.gov. For information on Trenton’s Reentry Court, please contact AUSA Martha Nye at martha.nye@usdoj.gov or Paralegal Kristyn Barfoot at Kristyn.Barfoot@usdoj.gov.  For information about Newark’s Reentry Court, please contact Counsel to the U.S. Attorney Caroline Sadlowski at Caroline.Sadlowski@usdoj.gov; AUSA Joyce Malliet at Joyce.Malliet@usdoj.gov, or AUSA Jordann Conaboy at Jordann.conaboy@usdoj.gov.