Marleina Ubel

Marleina Ubel, Senior Policy Analyst, researches the criminal legal system with a focus on alternatives to policing that center restorative justice. Previously, Marleina was NJPP’s 2020-2021 Kathleen Crotty Fellow where she analyzed the state budget process and researched public spending on state and local law enforcement. Marleina began her undergraduate work at Valencia College and earned a transfer scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned a B.A. in Philosophy. As a PIKSI fellow, she spent a summer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology challenging demographic disparities in institutions of higher learning. In 2021, she earned her M.S.W. in Management and Policy at Rutgers University and served as an Eagleton Fellow in the New Jersey Assembly Majority Office. Marleina lives in Lambertville with her husband and daughter.

What to Look for in the New Jersey Budget for Fiscal Year 2026

February 19, 2025 • Tax and Budget
Ahead of Governor Murphy’s final budget address, here are key benchmarks and priorities to evaluate whether the budget sufficiently advances economic, social, and racial justice.

End Predatory Prison Communication Fees

January 15, 2025 • Economic Justice, Public Safety
Accessible and affordable prison communications are vital for family connections, supporting human dignity, and ensuring successful reentry.

New Parole Proposal Would Reduce Prison Population, Promote Stability, and Improve Government Efficiency

January 14, 2025 • Public Safety
Governor Murphy announces new proposal for technical parole violations in seventh State of the State address.

Combating Surveillance and Protecting Privacy: Why New Jersey Needs the Immigrant Trust Act

November 26, 2024 • Immigrants' Rights
Federal immigration enforcement collects sensitive data to track, target, and separate families. The Immigrant Trust Act would limit what information can be shared.

Prison Profiteers: How Private Companies Profit From Prison Phone Calls and Harm New Jersey Residents

August 19, 2024 • Public Safety
High fees for communication from the state’s prisons and jails harm the critical connections with communities that make successful reentry more likely.

New Jersey Chooses People Over Profits in the Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget

June 28, 2024 • Tax and Budget
By taxing the world’s most profitable companies to fund public transit, New Jersey’s latest state budget prioritizes people over corporate profits.

Lengthy Sentences Do Not Serve as Deterrents, Address Root Causes, or Reduce Crime

May 16, 2024 • Public Safety
Testimony from NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Marleina Ubel in opposition of increasing sentences for trespassing offenses.

New Immigrants Drive Economic Growth in New Jersey

April 15, 2024 • Economic Justice, Immigrants' Rights
Newly arriving immigrants make significant contributions to New Jersey’s economy through their labor, entrepreneurial endeavors, and tax contributions.

Social Equity Excise Fee Revenue Should Support Those Harmed Most by Cannabis Prohibition

March 27, 2024 • Public Safety
Testimony from Senior Policy Analyst Marleina Ubel before the Cannabis Regulatory Commission in support of equitable distribution of SEEF funds.

Evaluating Governor Murphy’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2025

March 8, 2024 • Tax and Budget
The governor’s budget maintains funding for essential public services, but more revenue is needed.