This bill proposes a supplemental appropriation of $2,500,000 from the General Fund to the organization Salvation and Social Justice for the purpose of funding the Return and Restore program, specifically through its Trenton Restorative Street Team (TRST). The funding aims to support initiatives that work with formerly incarcerated individuals to mitigate gang-related activities, reduce gun violence, and lower recidivism rates. The TRST team comprises trained outreach workers, counselors, intervention specialists, community organizers, and individuals with personal experience in the corrections system, all focused on conflict mediation and violence prevention in Trenton.
The bill includes new legal language that specifies the allocation of the $2.5 million as a Grants-in-Aid appropriation for Salvation and Social Justice. It also states that the funds shall be used to administer the Return and Restore program, overriding any conflicting laws or regulations. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.