Alissa D. Hascup Explains the Victim’s Assistance and Survivor Protection Act in Published Opinion Piece in NJ.com: “Did the system fail the slain Cranford girl who was stalked?”

NJ.com published the following guest opinion piece by Alissa D. Hascup, a former Morris County Assistant Prosecutor and a Criminal Practice Group partner at Einhorn Barbarito, on October 5, 2025.

In the wake of the deaths of two teenage girls in Cranford earlier this week, and with the understanding that at least one of the girls was being stalked by the individual who has been charged with their murders, New Jerseyans are asking whether something could have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring.

On Jan. 1, 2024, New Jersey enacted the Victim’s Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (codified at N.J.S.A. 2C:14-13, et seq). VASPA permits the issuance of a Protective Order to victims who have no relationship with the person who has committed or attempted to commit one (or more) of the following five acts: stalking, cyber-harassment, lewdness, criminal sexual contact, and sexual penetration (predicate acts).

The conditions contained in a VASPA Protective Order are based upon each victim’s circumstances. They can include:

• Prohibiting contact with the victim
• Prohibiting threats to cause harm to, stalk, or harass the victim
• Prohibiting the offending party from entering the residence, property, school, or place of employment of the victim or the victim’s family or household members.

The court may also grant other emergency relief the court deems appropriate to protect the victim.

Most New Jerseyans are familiar with Temporary Restraining Orders under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (PDVA), which commonly arise in the context of domestic violence matters. To apply for a PDVA Restraining Order, there must be a qualifying relationship between the parties – current or former spouse, present or former dating relationship, has or will have a child in common, and/or presently residing together or have previously resided together.

VASPA was designed, in part, to eliminate that requirement so victims would still be entitled to protection even when they have no relationship with the person who committed or attempted to commit one or more of the predicate acts against them.

Notably, a parent or guardian can apply for a VASPA Protective Order for someone under the age of 18.

Why wasn’t the victim in the Cranford tragedy provided with an opportunity to apply for a VASPA Protective Order?

I surmise that this is a systemic issue and may stem from the VASPA Protective Order application process, which differs from the application process for a Temporary Restraining Order under PDVA.

Unlike applications for Temporary Restraining Orders under PDVA, which can be made at the local law enforcement level, applications for VASPA Protective Orders must be made online through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission system or in person at the Superior Court (county courthouse).

As such, because local law enforcement is seemingly not involved in the VASPA Protective Order application process, it appears that they have not been educated about the existence of VASPA or the protections that are available to victims under the Act. So, if a victim appears at a local law enforcement agency to seek protection, there is a risk that the agency will not know enough to advise the victim to visit the Superior Court and apply for a VASPA Protective Order. This is a failure of the system that is designed to protect victims, which can only be remedied with education and training.

Would a VASPA Protective Order have prevented the Cranford tragedy?

This is a much more difficult question to answer, but there seem to be two controlling schools of thought.

The first school of thought is that no piece of paper would have stopped this individual from committing the heinous act that led to the death of the two teenage girls.

The second school of thought is that, perhaps, if this individual had been served with a VASPA Protective Order by law enforcement and ordered to appear in the Superior Court to answer for his alleged conduct (i.e., Stalking), that he might have been deterred from taking any further action.

Unfortunately, because the victim here was never provided with the opportunity to apply for a VASPA Protective Order, we will never know.

Find the application for a VASPA Protective Order online. (njcourts.gov and search “VASPA.”)

If you or someone you know is the victim of stalking, cyber-harassment, lewdness, criminal sexual contact, or sexual penetration, and has no relationship with the person who has committed or attempted to commit one (or more) of those acts, an application for a VASPA Protective Order should be made.

Visit the Superior Court (county courthouse) in the county in which you reside for assistance.

Alissa D. Hascup is a former Morris County prosecutor and now partner with the Criminal Practice Group of Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost, Botwinick, Nunn & Musmanno, PC in Parsippany. She is certified by the N.J. Supreme Court as a Criminal Trial Attorney.
Reprinted from NJ.com, October 5, 2025.