New Jersey under the Murphy Administration has taken several steps to reduce the prison population and while we are seeing historically low crime rates and a shrinking of the number of people behind bars there's one population that's actually increased in our jails and that's senior citizens some say they deserve a second look Raven Santana has more on some of the policy recommendations that prison reform Advocates are calling for we pride ourselves as a state Second Chances we are the leader in Criminal Justice Reform but yet our elders are right now Behind Bars dying and it doesn't have to be that way the Reverend Russell Owen spent 32 years in New Jersey's prison system Owen has now devoted his life to helping those who have been harmed by the criminal justice system he says during his incarceration he gained A New Perspective on the growing number of senior citizens Behind Bars who no longer pose a risk but who he watched die serving their sentence people who have been found guilty and they run they're they're running for office now they're running for Mar they they're in all types of different positions and power because there was forgiveness for them but why not for everyone these men that I've held in my arms Trenton State Prison raway State Prison I made them my family because it's not right for people to die alone Owen was one of a panel of speakers including Senator Raj Mukerji who championed the stalled rehabilitative release bill which would reduce the prison population by ending mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders and giving elderly long incarcerated people a path to release it cost the taxpayers $2 million a year per person per placement excluding $300,000 in average in overtime for correctional officers to guard those folks that need additional care the elderly in our prison the least likely to reciate and we're allowing them to languish the New Jersey Criminal sentencing and disposition commission sent a letter to Governor Phil Murphy and legislative leaders Wednesday with four recommendations its 13 members unanimously agreed on they recommend permitting judges to reduce or wave fines and fees for defendants who cannot afford them allowing judges to consider abuse endured by offenders as a mitigating Factor particularly in domestic violence cases when weighing sentencing providing individuals over 60 an opportunity to apply for a reduced sentence after serving long terms if they pose no threat to society and are ready for re-entry and abolishing mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenses this legislation would require these individuals to go before court to explain their Rehabilitation to really fully allow the court to um see that individual determine whether they've been re debilitated and then make the decision about whether or not to release them 71-year-old Lee Holmes served 50 years in prison for murder and armed robbery before being released he described feeling like someone locked him up and threw away the key forever do you feel that elderly prisoners are somewhat forgotten people yes forgotten forgot they've been forgotten now but like I said when I was leaving oh was a guy there he was 83 and he was blind going blind and hearing G he's he died you know he died and there's others that's dead they done the time already imagine you know when you put you know a loved one in a nursing home and then you just put him there nobody goes to visit them nobody you know um really cares about them people are in Walkers and I ask myself you know when I was in prison what is this person doing in prison right they pose no threat they can't harm a fly they barely have enough strength to stand up the bill is now awaiting a hearing in the Judiciary Committee of both houses frj Spotlight news I'm Raven Santana