Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 53:1-15

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
53:1-15. The sheriffs, chiefs of police, members of the State Police and any other law enforcement agencies and officers shall, immediately upon the arrest of any person for an indictable offense, or for any of the grounds specified in paragraph (1), (2), (3) or (4) of subsection a. of section 5 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-21) or of any person believed to be wanted for an indictable offense, or believed to be an habitual criminal, or within a reasonable time after the filing of a complaint by a law enforcement officer charging any person with an indictable offense, or upon the arrest of any person for shoplifting, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:20-11, or upon the arrest of any person for prostitution, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:34-1, or the conviction of any other person charged with a nonindictable offense, where the identity of the person charged is in question, take the fingerprints of such person, according to the fingerprint system of identification established by the Superintendent of State Police and on the forms prescribed, and forward without delay two copies or more of the same, together with photographs and such other descriptions as may be required and with a history of the offense committed, to the State Bureau of Identification.

Such sheriffs, chiefs of police, members of the State Police and any other law enforcement agencies and officers shall also take the fingerprints, descriptions and such other information as may be required of unknown dead persons and as required by section 2 of P.L.1982, c.79 (C. 2A:4A-61) of juveniles adjudicated delinquent and shall forward same to the State Bureau of Identification.

Any person charged in a complaint filed by a law enforcement officer with an indictable offense, who has not been arrested, or any person charged in an indictment, who has not been arrested, or any person convicted of assault or harassment constituting domestic violence as defined in section 3 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-19), or any person against whom a final order has been entered in any domestic violence matter pursuant to the provisions of section 13 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C. 2C:25-29), or any person applying for participation in a program of conditional dismissal pursuant to P.L.2013, c.158 (C. 2C:43-13.1 et al.), shall submit himself to the identification procedures provided herein either on the date of any court appearance or upon written request of the appropriate law enforcement agency within a reasonable time after the filing of the complaint. Any person who refuses to submit to such identification procedures shall be a disorderly person.

amended 1952, c.93; 1981, c.411, s.1; 1982, c.219; 1994, c.56, s.4; 1997, c.93, s.2; 1999, c.288; 2013, c.158, s.14.

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