Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Chasey

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/21/06

HB 17

SHORT TITLE Incarcerated Gender-Specific Programs

SB

ANALYST Lewis

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

50.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women (NMCSW)

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

SUMMARY

FOR THE COURTS, CORRECTIONS AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 17 appropriates $50,000 from the general fund to the Commission on the Status of

Women for the purpose of

developing best practices and curriculum and training for gender-

specific programs for personnel serving incarcerated girls and women.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50,000 contained in this bill is a 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.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women (NMCSW), this appropriation

will allow for training based on best practices that recognize the gender-specific needs of clients.

Such training will reduce the risk of recidivism by taking into account the specific needs, con-

cerns and barriers impacting women/girls as they return to society.

House Bill 17 – Page

2

The New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) adds that recent studies have demonstrated a

need to implement gender-specific programs that distinguish between male and female inmates.

NMCD recognizes this need and has requested assistance from the National Institute of Correc-

tions in formulating gender-specific policies and programs for female inmates.

NMCD notes that the appropriation in this bill will further assist the department in implementing

best practices with regard to gender-specific programs serving female inmates, and suggests that

the department and its contractor, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), should be allowed

to assist in formulating these best practices.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

With this appropriation, the NMCSW plans to:

research, outline, and codify “best practices” deemed effective in developing and implement-

ing a curriculum that addresses gender-specific programs for personnel serving incarcerated

women and girls;

develop and “test” the curriculum so that it may be offered to those who will be working with

this population; and

prepare a “Train the Trainers in Gender-Specific Programs for Women and Girls.”

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMCSW will appoint a qualified individual to research best practices, determine and write the

curriculum, test the curriculum with a relevant population, and adjust the curriculum accord-

ingly. NMCSW plans to coordinate its efforts with New Mexico Corrections Department

(NMCD) and Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) personnel/trainers.

CYFD points out that

while the appropriation provides for development of curriculum and train-

ing, it does not address any funding that may be needed to provide the actual training. However,

the appropriation appears intended more to amend existing training programs than to add a new

layer of training. Moreover, if the appropriation is in fact recurring, the continuing funding may

well be adequate to cover any additional training requirement in future fiscal years.

Similarly, the NMCD suggests that the bill might result in a minor fiscal impact to NMCD to the

degree that the department is required to participate in the development and implementation of

best practices.

NMCD and CCA, which operates the women’s prison, will be required to assign

personnel to assist in the development and implementation of these best practices.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

According to NMCSW, failure to enact this bill would perpetuate a one-size-fits-all training, cur-

riculum and, ultimately, treatment of incarcerated women and girls by not taking into account the

specific needs, concerns and barriers impacting women/girls as they reintegrate/transition from

correctional facilities to society. Training based on best practices that recognize the gender-

specific needs of clients, reduces the risk of perpetuating the “revolving door” from incarceration

to release to recidivism.

ML/yr