Sample Letters to New Jersey Legislators

Contact your state legislators and the governor to urge them to develop legislation against undue influence and predatory alienation. You can use the sample letters/emails below as guides and tailor them to your own situation.

If you live in New Jersey, you can find contact information for the legislators who represent your municipality at https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster.

Residents of other states can go to https://www.congress.gov/state-legislature-websites.

Sample Letter to NJ Governor Phil Murphy

The Honorable Phil Murphy
Governor of New Jersey
Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625

RE: P.L. 2017, Ch. 64 calling for a study of the effects of predatory alienation on young adults and senior citizens

Dear Governor Murphy:

I applaud your energetic leadership in serving New Jersey’s families. I am greatly concerned, however, that in most instances there is at present no mechanism for a family to safeguard its members over age 16 from predatory alienation and undue influence.

Terroristic extremists, human traffickers, abusive partners, gangs, swindlers, and other corrupt individuals and groups exert undue influence to exploit the trust, dependency, and fear of their victims to gain control over their decision-making. They isolate their targets so they can more easily manipulate and take advantage of them. Unfortunately, soundness of mind and body and age of majority do not guarantee immunity from undue influence.

As many families in New Jersey have had the misfortune to learn, current laws do not afford protection from the psychological and emotional abuse of predatory alienation and undue influence. Calling for a study of predatory alienation and its effect on young adults and senior citizens was a crucial start in addressing that gap, for those two populations are the most vulnerable. Now that a team of researchers from Rutgers University has issued its recommendations, I hope that you will lend your support to encourage further legislative efforts in this regard.

[Add any positive effects that further legislation would have on you, your community, your profession, etc., and why the governor should support it.]

Your leadership is essential to ensuring the well-being and security of every family in our state.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(City/State/Zip)
(Telephone with area code)

Sample Letter/Email to a NJ State Senator and/or General Assemblyman/Assemblywoman

RE: Need for protection against undue influence and predatory alienation

Dear Senator/Assembly Member [Legislator’s last name]:

(Explain your title in your profession and/or area of expertise, if applicable.)

As a constituent in your district, I am writing to ask that you draft legislation to create a legal remedy in cases of undue influence and predatory alienation. At present, in most instances there is no mechanism for a family to safeguard its members over age 16 from such psychological abuse.

Since 2012, concerned citizens have been working through the nonprofit organization NJ Safe & Sound to raise public awareness of extreme undue influence and how to guard against it. Their educational resources have been embraced by a broad spectrum of teachers, guidance counselors, law enforcement agencies, clergy, mental health professionals, and community outreach organizations throughout New Jersey and beyond.

Education alone is not enough, however. Everyone deserves legal protection from malicious manipulation, and predators should be held accountable for their destructive actions. Many families in New Jersey have had the misfortune to learn, however, that current laws do not afford protection from the psychological and emotional abuse of predatory alienation and undue influence.

As a state legislator, you are in a position to remedy this deficiency by giving the people of New Jersey the right to recourse against such predatory behavior, regardless of the targeted victim’s age. I encourage you to visit www.njsafeandsound.org to learn more about the importance of this issue.

[You can add more details on why you support this particular issue. Any local examples concerning the impact of this legislation would be most compelling. Be courteous and to the point, keeping your letter focused on the main issue.]

Thank you for taking the time to consider my opinion on this matter. I hope that you will work with your legislative colleagues to enhance the well-being and security of every family in our state by enacting legislation against undue influence and predatory alienation.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Address)
(City/State/Zip)
(Telephone with area code)

"The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society
and is entitled to protection by society and the State."

— Article 16.3, Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations

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For Every Person, for Every Family — Protection Under the Law from the Psychological Abuse of Undue Influence and Predatory Alienation

Sample Letters to New Jersey Legislators

Sample Letter to NJ Governor Phil Murphy

Sample Letter/Email to a NJ State Senator and/or General Assemblyman/Assemblywoman

For Every Person, for Every Family —
Protection Under the Law from the
Psychological Abuse of Undue Influence and Predatory Alienation