Putting Essex County on the Right Track
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. has resolved several complex issues facing the County during his tenure. Federal Consent Decrees were placed on the Essex County Correctional Facility and the Essex County Juvenile Detention Facility, a lawsuit was brought against the County to preserve the Historic Essex County Courthouse and there was the long, unaddressed need for a modern psychiatric hospital to provide suitable accommodations for our most vulnerable residents. These problems arose well before DiVincenzo took office but, if left unaddressed, would have continued to hamper government operations and exposed the county to paying significant financial fines if they were left unaddressed.
By 2008, each of these problems had been addressed by DiVincenzo, alleviating a heavy burden from Essex County and its taxpayers.
Essex County Juvenile Detention Center: Elapsed Time: 21 years
The Problem: The United States filed a lawsuit against Essex County in December 1987 for substandard conditions and inferior medical care at the old Essex County Youth House, resulting in a Federal Consent Order being put into effect to monitor the facility’s policies and operations.
The Solution: Under the leadership of Essex County Executive DiVincenzo, infrastructure and residential conditions were improved, a state-of-the surveillance system was installed, a library with 8,000 donated books was opened and a full six-and-a-half hour school day was instituted. In March 2007, the Federal Government found Essex County in compliance with Juvenile Justice requirements and dismissed a majority of the original Consent Order. The Consent Order remained in effect for 13 stipulations relating to mental health care and treatment. On June 19, 2008, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey noted that Essex County had made tremendous strides to address the remaining stipulations and was “prepared to jointly stipulate with the County to dismissal” of the Consent Decree. The decree was dismissed on July 21, 2008.
Continued Progress: Under the direction of DiVincenzo, the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center remains the only facility in the state to offer its residents a full school day. In addition, the facility has been accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care since 2004 and was selected as its Facility of the Year in 2013. The facility also has entered into a shared services agreement with Passaic County in which Essex County now houses juvenile residents from Passaic.
Essex County Correctional Facility: Elapsed Time: 25 years
The Problem: County inmates filed a lawsuit in 1982 protesting substandard conditions and inferior medical care at the Essex County Jail in Newark and Jail Annex in North Caldwell. As a result, a Federal Consent Order was put into effect to monitor the facility’s policies and operations.
The Solution: The new Essex County Correctional Facility was just 40 percent constructed when Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. took office in January 2003. In one year, the facility was completed and over 2,000 inmates were relocated from the County’s two antiquated jail buildings to the cutting-edge structure on Doremus Avenue in Newark. In addition, DiVincenzo hired corrections professionals to manage the Department of Corrections and provided training for all Corrections Officers. After 25 years and becoming the longest case in the history of the District of New Jersey, the Federal Consent Order was dismissed in February 2007.
Continued Progress: The Essex County Correctional Facility has received certification from the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, as well as being fully compliant with all inspecting agencies. It also has received the Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma Ambassador Award.
Essex County Hospital Center: Elapsed Time: About 25 years
The Problem: Original attempts to replace the Hospital Center, which was built in 1897, were made in the 1980s. The previous administration later proposed relocating the facility to the former United Hospital grounds in Newark. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., then serving as Freeholder President, appointed a Blue Ribbon Committee to monitor the move.
The Solution: Upon taking office in 2003, DiVincenzo made a commitment to keep the Hospital Center in Cedar Grove and build a new facility to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the patients. Under the Executive’s leadership, a state-of-the-art Hospital Center was designed and constructed in 25 months and opened in December 2006.
Continued Progress: Under the guidance of the County Executive, the Hospital Center has entered into shared service agreements and accepts patients from Middlesex County and state institutions. These agreements generate about $16 million in recurring revenue for Essex.
Historic Essex County Courthouse: Elapsed Time: 16 years
The Problem: The Historic Essex County Courthouse, built in 1906, had fallen into neglect and disrepair by the late 1980s, prompting the Essex County Bar Association to file a lawsuit against Essex County to repair and preserve the building. The project was underfunded and stalled, leaving the Historic Courthouse vacant and mostly unusable by the mid-1990s.
The Solution: Construction on the Historic Courthouse was barely begun when Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. took office in 2003. Under his leadership, the restoration project was completed in just two years and the building was reopened in December 2004.
Continued Progress: The Courthouse is currently used for Civil Court proceedings and the Essex County Bar Association relocated its headquarters there in 2007. The Courthouse is a well-maintained facility and its restoration has been recognized with numerous International, National, State and local awards.