Trenton – Senator Linda Greenstein, chair of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, today issued the following statement welcoming the resignation of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks and said the Department of Corrections must move quickly in bringing about reform:

“The removal of Commissioner Hicks is both overdue and welcome. A change of leadership is imperative, but this is not the end of the process. We must now move forward to ensure that the right safeguards are in place to prevent the recurrence of abuses like those detailed in the Boxer report and develop a proper plan for the closure of the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women and the transition of inmates to more appropriate facilities closer to their homes.

“We look forward to further discussions with the Acting Commissioner, Victoria Kuhns, about the closure process for Edna Mahan, the consent agreement with the U.S. Justice Department, and what institutional reforms are being implemented to ensure the humane treatment of all women in the corrections system. The tragic lessons of Edna Mahan should not be lost with this resignation as we take next, needed steps.”