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NEWS RELEASE
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
P.O. Box 32040
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Media Contact: Christine Ziomek / [email protected] / (201) 796-7788 / @carylcomm
RECORD-BREAKING NUMBERS DURING THE 5TH FUGITIVE SAFE SURRENDER
NEW JERSEY REFLECT CLEAR NEED FOR PROGRAMMING FOR EXOFFENDERS
Resolving Outstanding Warrants for Non-Violent Offenders Can Afford a New
Lease on Life
NEWARK/JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 9, 2014 – A record-breaking total of individuals
wanted by New Jersey law enforcement agencies recently turned themselves in during
the fifth Fugitive Safe Surrender New Jersey (FSSNJ). Most of the nearly 5,000
individuals who surrendered are wanted for non-violent felony and municipal warrants.
“The sheer number of individuals – almost all of them non-violent offenders – turning
themselves in during FSSNJ reflects the overwhelming need for programs like these,”
said Gina DeVito, Esq., managing attorney of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Newark
Reentry Legal Services (ReLeSe). Based in Newark, ReLeSe helps low-income Essex
County residents with criminal records address the civil legal barriers that serve as
obstacles to their successful community reintegration. Through ReLeSe’s driver’s
license clinic and direct representation, ReLeSe and its volunteer attorneys assist
clients with driver’s license restoration and resolution of long out-standing municipal
matters. ReLeSe also provides assistance with modification of child support orders and
the expungement of criminal records.
“Our ReLeSe program has some direct parallels with FSSNJ in that we are assisting exoffenders with legal matters. Time and time again, we have seen first-hand how
resolving an outstanding warrant affords a new lease on life. Very often, it paves the
way for driver’s license restoration and meaningful employment, which serve as two
essential pieces of community reintegration,” added DeVito. During FSSNJ, DeVito and
Karen Robinson, Esq., coordinating attorney of ReLeSe, provided free legal aid and
information on VLJ’s ReLeSe. The non-profit is in continuous need of volunteer
attorneys for its programming.
While not an amnesty program, FSSNJ enables participants to work with a judge,
prosecutor and public defender to seek favorable consideration. Including this year’s
total, more than 18,000 individuals have surrendered during FSSNJ events. The recent
surrender location was Evangelismos Church in Jersey City. After turning themselves in
more-
VLJ/Fugitive Safe Surrender/Page 2
at the church, participants were taken to the Jersey City Armory across the street for the
processing of their cases.
A state-wide 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, VLJ works to ensure fair and equal
treatment within the legal system. In addition to ReLeSe, VLJ’s programs include free
legal counsel and advice; educational seminars on various legal matters such as
consumer law, bankruptcy, family law, and special education; and direct representation
for at-risk individuals facing critical civil legal issues.
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About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
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Photo Caption: A record-breaking total of individuals wanted by New Jersey law
enforcement agencies recently turned themselves in during the fifth Fugitive Safe
Surrender New Jersey (FSSNJ). Most of the nearly 5,000 individuals who surrendered
are wanted for non-violent felony and municipal warrants. During FSSNJ, Karen
Robinson, Esq., left, coordinating attorney of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Newark
Reentry Legal Services (ReLeSe) and Gina DeVito, Esq., managing attorney of
ReLeSe, provided free legal aid and information.