The Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) is a community-based correctional supervision program that allows some individuals to serve their sentences outside of the traditional prison setting. The program focuses on rehabilitation and helping participants change their lives so they can avoid behaviors and factors that led to past problems and criminal convictions. The program is therefore highly structured and may include a variety of conditions, including firm curfews, employment requirements, drug and alcohol treatment, community service, required payments toward fines, a financial diary, regular meetings and contact with an ISP officer, and even GPS monitoring. 

Applications for the program are available in all of New Jersey’s County jails and state prisons.  Most individuals serving a state prison sentence are eligible to apply for the program. But there are some offenses that result in automatic ineligibility, such as homicide, robbery, most sex offenses, and all first-degree offenses. 

For those who are eligible, the application requires the individual to have a community sponsor and develop a structured case plan for virtually every aspect of their life. The application is ultimately presented to a panel of Superior Court judges who make the final decision regarding admittance. If an individual is admitted into the program and later accused of violating a condition(s) of the program, they may be subject to a violation hearing and return to state prison.

The OPD’s ISP Unit provides representation to individuals seeking initial entry into the program and to those who are faced with a violation and possible termination from the program. The current supervisor of the OPD’s ISP Unit is Deputy Public Defender Stephen Hunter, who is also the supervisor of the agency’s Recovery Court Unit. He or a member of the ISP staff may be reached at 609-633-8659 with any questions regarding the application process and representation.