If you face being sentenced to jail in New Jersey by a municipal court judge, you have an alternative. It is called the Sheriff's Labor Assistance Program (SLAP). This is a community-based corrections program that provides a structured alternative to imprisonment.

People sentenced to SLAP perform moderate levels of manual labor instead of sitting in a jail cell. This enables them to maintain employment and provide for their families while serving their sentence.

How Do You Get In?

Not everyone gets in to the SLAP program, though. Those that do are minor offenders with minimal or no risk to the public. Many have been convicted of driving offenses, shoplifting, criminal mischief, etc.

For more information about the SLAP program, call the sheriff's office for the county in which you were charged.

Criminal histories are checked. If you are found to have a criminal history that contains convictions for violence, drug distribution, sexual offenses etc., you will not get in.

What Happens If You DO Get In?

If you do get in, you are required to follow all rules and regulations or face having their SLAP sentence revoked. At that time, they may be required to serve the remainder of your sentence in jail.

As to the "labor" that would be done, it is non-skilled manual labor to nonprofit public and private agencies. Examples of types of work include:

  • Work at municipal recycling centers.
  • Municipal road cleanup.
  • Painting and landscaping.

What Should You Do Before Going to Court

If you have been charged, but not convicted, in southern New Jersey with a minor offense that could result in jail time, please feel free to call me at 856-432-4113 or contact me through this site to schedule a free consultation.

If you are looking for more information on New Jersey's traffic laws, then download my free book, A Guide to Driving Legally in New Jersey and Surviving Traffic Court If You Don't.

Steven J. Richardson
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Bankruptcy, Collections, Student Loan, DUI and Traffic Court attorney in Woodbury, NJ.