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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Chasey

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/20/06

HB 16

SHORT TITLE NM Sentencing Commission Gender Study

SB

ANALYST Peery

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$50.0 Non-recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Sentencing Commission (NMSC)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

No Responses From

Adult Parole Board (APB)

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 16 appropriates $50.0 from the general fund to the New Mexico Sentencing Commis-

sion for the purpose of conducting a study on gender-specific probation and parole models. The

proposed legislation provides for the surveying of existing participants on probation and parole

on the effectiveness of programs and ability to re-enter society. The results of the study are to be

shared with the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee and the New Mexico Sentencing

Commission is to make recommendations on implementing best practices in New Mexico.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

House Bill 16 – Page 2

The New Mexico Sentencing Commission states they believe the appropriated amount is suffi-

cient to properly conduct and publish the study.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMCD reports an increase in its female population over the past several years. The rate of fe-

males incarcerations increased by approximately 8 percent in 2005 while the male population

increased by less than half that rate. In 2005, the overall growth of offenders under community

supervision increased by 10 percent, while the number of females probationers and parolees in-

creased by 14 percent. The Probation and Parole Division reports they have never considered a

comprehensive gender specific strategy to address female offenders. The Probation and Parole

Division states they would welcome a study that would bring to light a strategy that would help

better address the needs of this growing population.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

New Mexico Sentencing Commission has a performance measure “number of research projects

completed” with a FY07 target of 11. The gender-specific probation and parole models study

would comprise of one out of 11 research projects towards meeting the commission’s perform-

ance measure target.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The New Mexico Sentencing Commission believes it can complete this study in a timely fashion

provided it receives the funding in the proposed legislation. The commission states they will

have to limit the scope of work to the funding level.

RLP/mt