Publications

Created by the New Jersey Office of Attorney General (NJOAG), the ARRIVE Together program (Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation) seeks to make emergency responses safer for people in mental health crisis. It does so through an expansive set of responses that prioritize medical support. According to NJOAG, the program is the […]

The last thirty years have seen a revolution in the role of computing technology generally, and internet access specifically, in the basic patterns of American social, economic, and civic life. Yet in state prisons across the country, there has been little movement toward developing comprehensive, forward-looking policies regulating their use in incarceration. Whether it’s a […]

On Monday, December 15, 2025, the New Jersey Target Zero Commission officially adopted the first New Jersey Target Zero Action Plan, reaching a major milestone in the Garden State’s goal to eliminate all roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the state by 2040. The Action Plan includes 72 actions, including the establishment of a Target […]

Bloustein Local completes comprehensive 26-article series helping New Jersey municipal leaders navigate technology decisions. After three years and 26 articles, Marc Pfeiffer, Associate Director and Senior Policy Fellow at Bloustein Local, has completed his “Tech Updates” series for New Jersey Municipalities magazine—a comprehensive guide designed to help local elected officials and administrators make sound technology […]

The recent 43-day federal government shutdown was driven most prominently by disagreements over healthcare affordability. The immediate impasse centered on expiring pandemic-era subsidies for health insurance in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Exchanges. Without these enhanced subsidies, consumers in New Jersey and nationwide face a more than doubling of their insurance premiums, with […]

Imagine a police department that can anticipate where crime will strike tomorrow, next week, or next month—and position officers there before it happens. This isn’t science fiction. It’s the promise of predictive policing, a data-driven approach that uses algorithms to forecast crime patterns and inform deployment decisions. The promise is compelling: smarter policing, fewer victims, […]

The U.S. stands out as the only country among 41 nations that does not mandate any paid leave for new parents. The result is that access to paid parental leave in the United States is highly inequitable. Workers in higher-income families are substantially more likely to report having access to paid family leave. Some states […]

In February 2024, New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well (NJAAW) conducted a Statewide Survey of Older Adults. This survey gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from residents aged 60+ on the challenges and concerns related to aging in New Jersey. The findings show that the cost of living, including taxes, housing costs, and overall expenses, […]

Considering the impact of AI on electricity bills, data centers in the Northeast could be part of the problem. Across the country, from Ohio to New Jersey, electricity prices are spiking [2, 3]. It’s a tangible financial pain, costing $122 more per month for the average household’s total utility costs compared to 2020 [1], adding […]

In collaboration with the New Jersey State Policy Lab, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development will conduct a study to understand how New Jersey’s public AI initiatives can better meet the needs of the state’s small businesses, particularly minority- and women-owned firms, as they increasingly engage with and deploy AI. Through a series […]

Major storms, such as Hurricane Sandy, which destroyed or damaged 346,000 structures across New Jersey in 2012, lead to significant economic losses and disruptions to the state’s tourism industry. Sand dunes are an effective solution for protecting coastal New Jersey municipalities from rising sea levels, beach erosion, and storm damage. As such, dune width and […]

Image Source: Voorhees Transportation Center * On January 19, 2026, Governor Murphy signed S4834/A6235, which creates new regulations for e-bikes in New Jersey. The law requires licensure and registration for both “low-speed electric bicycles” and “motorized bicycles.” The new law states that e-bike riders have until July 19, 2026, to obtain the appropriate license and […]