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A JOINT MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT AND
THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT TO INCORPORATE AND IMPLEMENT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE AND ADULT OFFENDERS
AS A METHOD TO HELP HEAL VICTIMS OF CRIME, REDUCE RECIDIVISM,
FACILITATE OFFENDER REINTEGRATION AND PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO
INCARCERATION.
WHEREAS, crime increases fear, reduces quality of life
and causes injury to victims, survivors and communities; and
WHEREAS, while the criminal justice system prosecutes
and punishes offenders, the emotional and physical damage to
people and communities may often go unresolved; and
WHEREAS, restorative justice programs seek to repair the
harm caused by crime through a comprehensive and cooperative
process that enables the victim, the offender and affected
members of the community to be directly involved in
responding to the crime; and
WHEREAS, restorative justice is a theory of justice that
is based on the common values and principles of
accountability, reparation, reintegration, inclusion and
effective communication; and
WHEREAS, restorative justice programs promote healing
for the victim by allowing the victim to voluntarily meet the
offender, to express the impacts of the crime and to
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encourage the offender to take responsibility for the
resulting harm; and
WHEREAS, restorative justice rehabilitates offenders and
reintegrates them into the community by providing an
opportunity for the victim, the offender and community
members to develop a plan to address the harm together; and
WHEREAS, the shared responsibility in finding
constructive resolutions to crime gives communities a
meaningful voice in the cause and effect of crime in their
communities; and
WHEREAS, the community-centered approach of restorative
justice programs can contribute to reductions in recidivism,
increased compliance with restitution agreements and victim
satisfaction; and
WHEREAS, restorative justice practices can reduce costs
to the criminal justice system by providing alternatives to
incarceration and decreasing judicial caseloads over time;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the children, youth and families
department and the corrections department be requested to
incorporate and implement restorative justice programs for
juvenile and adult offenders as a method to help heal victims
of crime, reduce recidivism, facilitate offender
reintegration and provide alternatives to incarceration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of children,
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youth and families and the secretary of corrections be
requested to report their progress in incorporating and
implementing restorative justice programs for juvenile and
adult offenders to the appropriate interim legislative
committee by November 1, 2007; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the secretary of children, youth and families
and the secretary of corrections.