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

SPONSOR Crook

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/07/07

HB 912

SHORT TITLE Bernalillo Residential Rehab Facility

SB

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$3,600.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House bill 912 appropriates $3.6 million from the general fund to the Department of Finance and

Administration to contract with a private entity in Bernalillo county to operate a secure, long-

term, statewide, multi-jurisdictional residential rehabilitation and transition facility that admits

persons who have been ordered to the facility by a New Mexico court.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $3.6 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Long-term residential rehabilitation and transition facilities attempt to stem the tide of drug use

that leads to repeat criminal offenses and to a veritable revolving door in the criminal justice

system. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than half of all released offenders

commit new crimes for which they are re-sentenced within three years of release. Long-term

residential rehabilitation and transition programs have a proven record of success for substance

abusers with criminal convictions. A university study found that, of 1460 released offenders,

fewer than ten percent of those who had undergone drug rehabilitation returned to prison over a

six-year period. This was in contrast to a recidivism rate of 80 percent for those who did not

participate in a program.

House Bill 912 – Page

2

Today, over 1.9 million Americans are incarcerated at a taxpayer expense of over $65 billion

each year. Research indicates that, over the past 25 years, entry into correctional facilities has

risen an astounding 377%, with a corresponding budget increase of 600%. The trend shows no

signs of slowing. Programs within these facilities work to prevent those convicted from

becoming entrenched in the system. It is well known that substance abuse fuels criminal activity.

Long-term residential rehabilitation and transition facilities foster programs that restore personal

integrity and self-esteem: drug withdrawal and rehabilitation; education; self-respect; and life

skills. The drug withdrawal and rehabilitation module involves drug-free withdrawal and

working with the inmate to increase communication skills, gain emotional control, and accept

responsibility for his actions. The education module is designed to achieve inmate literacy, while

the self-respect component consists of shifting the inmate's moral compass and increasing

personal responsibility. The life skills module involves teaching the inmate to critically evaluate

those who have a positive or negative influence on their life and learn tools to help them succeed.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The bill supports the mission of the Corrections Department to provide a balanced approach to to

corrections from incarceration to community-based supervision with training, education,

rehabilitation programs and services that provide opportunities for offenders to transition back to

the community.

AHO/nt