The Moderate Security Unit at New Jersey's New Lisbon Developmental Center

II am posting this in light of Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn's 2024 report, which was released in July 2025 and highlights the need to reassess the use of the Moderate Security Unit at the New Lisbon Developmental Center for individuals with developmental disabilities and criminal charges. A variation of this post, which I authored as an opinion piece, was published in the lBurlington County Times several years ago. 

We need to change NJAC 10:42B and the resulting Division of Developmental Disabilities Division Circular #16 to  allow females and those with a severe IDD/MI psychiatric diagnosis  to be admitted to the Moderate Security Unit  at New Lisbon Developmental Center  

 I believe the Moderate Security Unit at New Lisbon Developmental Center (MSU) needs several modifications admissions criteria to meet current demands.  The MSU is a secure-care unit for developmentally disabled men who would not be safe in prison or jail, due to their disabilities.

The admissions criteria should be expanded to females and those with a severe psychiatric disorder, including those found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, because:

• Psychiatric facilities, such as the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital and Ann Klein Forensic Center, are not necessarily the appropriate setting, since individuals may get victimized and do not receive specialized developmental treatment.

• Placing individuals who have committed a criminal at in a regular Development Center poses a risk for lower-functioning individuals, who are more vulnerable.,

• Most reasonable people would agree that individuals with developmental disabilities do not belong in traditional correctional facilities (i.e., jails and prisons) for a variety of safety reasons (especially abuse by corrections officers and other inmates)

There will need to be several changes to the physical plant, staffing patterns, and programs to make the MSU suitable for females and those with a severe psychiatric disorder:

• Female staff are needed.

•  Hiring uniformed medical security officers, similar to Ann Klein Forensic Center, could help maintain control of the unit (research shows that a police-like uniform deters negative behavior and makes people feel safer)

• Toilets in each bedroom

•  Steel doors instead of bars (to prevent ligature)

• Males and females are admitted to separate sides of the unit.

• Surveillance cameras need to be installed to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

•  Seclusion (residents would be locked in their rooms alone for set times during the day, at night, during short-staffed times, during crisis situations, etc., and when the resident is displaying aggressive behavior and failing to calm down)

• Chemical restraints should continue to be emphasized over mechanical restraints in emergency crisis situations.

• Therapeutic programming should be modified to provide treatment aimed at reducing the likelihood of a re-offense for a variety of criminal offenses, not just sexual and arson crimes.

  
  

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