MAZZEO INTRODUCES BILL TO TOUGHEN PENALTIES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo has introduced legislation to make it more difficult for first-time domestic violence offenders to enter pretrial intervention (PTI) and thus avoid jail time. The bill would amend current law to make assault against a victim of domestic violence a crime of the third degree with no presumption of non-imprisonment, meaning that incarceration could be considered as a punishment for the offender. Under the law, such assault is a crime of the third degree, which is ordinarily punishable by three to five years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000 or both, but there is a presumption of non-imprisonment for first-time offenders.