SENATE MEMORIAL 33

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Cisco McSorley

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE THE CAMINO NUEVO TASK FORCE AND REQUESTING THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE WARDEN OF CAMINO NUEVO CORRECTIONAL CENTER AND OTHER CONTRACTORS AT CAMINO NUEVO TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CAMINO NUEVO TASK FORCE ON TRANSFORMING THE FACILITY INTO AN APPROPRIATE GENDER-RESPONSIVE LOW-SECURITY FACILITY FOR WOMEN.

     WHEREAS, the Camino Nuevo correctional center houses female inmates who are classified at the lowest security levels, who are close to being released and who require the tools that will allow for their reintegration into our communities; and

     WHEREAS, the Camino Nuevo correctional center is centrally located in the Rio Grande corridor, where gainful employment and reintegration opportunities exist; and

     WHEREAS, Camino Nuevo's location in the city of Albuquerque allows for easy transportation of the children of female inmates for visitations and familial bonding; and

     WHEREAS, allowing inmates to connect with their communities and families has been shown to reduce recidivism and to provide more positive outcomes for women placed in the corrections system; and

     WHEREAS, national research shows that effective gender programming and gender-sensitive environments improve institutional culture, result in positive outcomes for female inmates and reduce recidivism; and

     WHEREAS, the Camino Nuevo facility was originally constructed to house the most dangerous juveniles classified at the highest security levels, and despite the lowest security classification of women now housed at the facility, the environment continues to reflect high-security incarceration practices; and

     WHEREAS, serious allegations of sexual assaults upon female inmates have arisen this past year;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to create the Camino Nuevo task force, to be chaired by the chairs of the house and senate judiciary committees and to consist of legislators, the secretary of corrections, representatives from the New Mexico women‛s justice project, central New Mexico community college, the Bernalillo county behavioral health collaborative, the university of New Mexico school of architecture, metropolitan alcohol assessment and treatment services, peanut butter and jelly family services, health care for the homeless, the New Mexico federation of labor and the New Mexico women's agenda and other interested and appropriate parties; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the corrections department, the warden of the Camino Nuevo correctional center, the corrections corporation of America and other contractors at the facility be requested to collaborate with the Camino Nuevo task force and to allow the task force and other relevant members of the community, as selected or approved by the task force, to assist in transforming the environment at Camino Nuevo, including assistance in educational and vocational training, community and family reintegration, mother-child bonding, employment opportunities, behavioral health services and modifications of the physical environment at Camino Nuevo to meet the goals of a successful low-security facility for women; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the corrections department examine and, if necessary, renegotiate its contracts to better address the goals of transforming the Camino Nuevo correctional center into a model facility for successful reintegration of women; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Camino Nuevo task force, the secretary of corrections and the warden of the Camino Nuevo correctional center report to the appropriate interim legislative committee during the 2008 interim on the progress of this collaborative process and on any changes or improvements made to the environment and services at the facility; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico legislative council, the chairs of the house and senate judiciary committees, the secretary of corrections, the warden of the Camino Nuevo correctional center and the corrections corporation of America.

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