Directive #22-23 – Criminal Justice Reform – Changes to the Preliminary Public Safety Assessment (PSA) Run by Law Enforcement

This Directive advises of changes to the method in which a Preliminary Public Safety Assessment (Preliminary PSA) is generated. Available immediately, an automatic Preliminary PSA will generate once a law enforcement officer has fingerprinted a defendant using an approved Live Scan fingerprinting device and then selects to request a complaint-warrant in eCDR. This feature will be added to all complaint generation in a future enhancement.

In its June 2023 report, the Reconvened Joint Committee on Criminal Justice (JCCJ) issued 31 new recommendations to help improve Criminal Justice Reform (CJR). Recommendation 5, put forth by law enforcement representatives, sought to automate the Preliminary PSA to assist law enforcement staff. Recommendation 5 of the Reconvened JCCJ Report specifically states:

"The Judiciary should seek to modify its eCDR system so that a Preliminary PSA is automatically generated for law enforcement once a defendant has been fingerprinted and a complaint initiated."

This Directive effectuates Recommendation 5.

Accordingly, once law enforcement fingerprints a defendant in accordance with current LiveScan procedures, and as required by Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2016-6 v.3.0 ("Modification of Directive Establishing Interim Policies, Practices, and Procedures to Implement Criminal Justice Reform Pursuant to P.L. 2015, c. 31), a Preliminary PSA will automatically generate. Once the automatic Preliminary PSA is generated, it will be available in the case jacket of the eCourts system for reference.

The attached "eCDR  - Municipal Release Notes" provides detailed operational guidance.

Conlcusion

Questions or comments may be directed to the Criminal Practice Division at (609)815-2900, ext. 55300 or AOCCrimPrac.mbx@njcourts.gov.