New Jersey passed a law called the No Early Release Act (NERA) which limits the ability for individuals convicted of certain crimes to qualify for parole, which is an early release from prison. Under the NERA, offenders convicted of violent crimes are required to serve a minimum of 85% of their prison sentence prior to becoming eligible for parole. The NERA applies to first and second-degree crimes, and applies regardless of the offender’s good behavior in prison.