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 Park

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/27/08

HM 8

SHORT TITLE Use Missouri Model at J. Paul Taylor Center

SB

ANALYST Lucero

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY08

FY09

FY10 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total $0.1

$0.1

$0.1

$0.1

Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Memorial 8 requests that the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

implement the Missouri Model of juvenile justice at the J. Paul Taylor Center in Dona Ana

County, and regularly report to the governor and the legislature on the impact of the transition.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There would be a cost associated with implementing the Missouri model of juvenile justice;

however, CYFD requested funds to implement the model which the executive and LFC

recommendations supported.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Missouri model is not a short-term solution, but the beginning of a long-term plan for New

Mexico’s juvenile justice system. Mark Steward, the architect of the model in Missouri, served

as the Missouri Juvenile Justice Director for 18 years. At the request of the Annie E. Casey

Foundation, he formed the Missouri Youth Services Institute (MYSI) when he retired. MYSI

selectively works with states that are ready and willing to transform their systems into this

House Memorial 8 – Page

2

rehabilitative model. New Mexico is one of those states. The implementation of this model

requires in-depth analysis and evaluation of existing juvenile correctional facilities. This model

also requires examining the systems currently in place (including services that may be provided

at the local county level) and identifying the training and resources needed to implement, change,

or enhance those systems as necessary. This model further requires that local communities and

services, such as community colleges or universities, become partners with the juvenile justice

system to improve the success rates for youth transitioning back into society from incarceration.

CYFD has already begun the work to establish these partnerships, and to conduct the assessment

and training required for implementation.

The heart of this model is regionalization. Court-required assessments and evaluations are

completed locally. Youth are kept as close as possible to their communities in smaller, home-

like facilities where peer relationships are crucial—youth are kept together as a group for their

entire incarceration. Families have shorter distances to travel to visit their incarcerated children

and can more fully participate in their child’s therapy and preparation for re-entry into the

community. Because youth are not transferred back and forth between facilities, programming

and education services are stable and consistent. A case worker manages the youth from the

very beginning of their entrance into the juvenile justice system until their transition back into

the community. This case worker coordinates transition and mentoring services in the youth’s

local community and helps that youth overcome problems common to those recently

incarcerated.

New Mexico is poised to implement real reform into its juvenile justice system and will begin

with this proven model.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

CYFD has performance measures relating to improved outcomes and reduced recidivism for

youth involved with the juvenile justice system. This memorial is consistent with those

measures.

PED reports that HM 8 may positively impact performance measures relating to the Governor’s

Truancy and Dropout Prevention initiative. The at-risk activities pilot project initiative may

enhance school attendance, graduation rates and student performance, and may have an impact

on abuse, neglect, juvenile delinquency substance abuse and other related matters.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CYFD works in partnership with the Heart Gallery of New Mexico. CYFD is able to absorb any

administrative impact generated by this bill with existing staff.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the Centers of Juvenile and Criminal Justice (Centers of Juvenile and Criminal

Justice, 2008).

House Memorial 8 – Page

3

•

Missouri has a well-developed system of community-based residential and non-

residential programs. In 1983, Missouri closed its only large training school and

transitioned from an incarceration model to a rehabilitation model. Youth now go to one

of 30 regional, small-scale corrections centers, where they live in dormitories instead of

cells, or they go to one of many non-residential programs.

•

By moving away from the monolithic large training school system, youth can be placed

in more specialized programs according to their real needs.

•

Smaller, regional-based programs provide more individual attention and treat youth as

part of their communities and families.

•

Missouri recidivism rates have been as low as 11%, dramatically lower than the rest of

the country.

•

In Missouri’s Community-Based Rehabilitation Programs, three-quarters of juvenile

offenders committed to Missouri’s Division of Youth Services are assigned to non-

residential community programs, group homes or less-secure facilities.

According to the National Center for School Engagement (National Center for School

Engagement, 2008):

•

Truancy has been identified as one of the early warning signs of students headed for

potential delinquent activity, social isolation or educational failure via suspension,

expulsion or dropping out.

•

Truancy is considered to be one of the top 10 problems facing schools. 80% of dropouts

were chronically truant before dropping out of school. 90% of youths in detention for

delinquent acts were chronically truant.

•

If the attendance rate continues to decrease, the graduation rate will be affected. Further,

dropout and truancy have been correlated to an increase in juvenile crime.

•

The underlying issues for dropout and truancy are often associated with social, family

and health barriers that prevent students from achieving. These barriers contribute to the

achievement gap.

References:

Centers of Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Reforming the Juvenile Justice System, Model States:

Missouri. Retrieved January 22, 2008, from

http://www.cjcj.org/jjic/reforming.php#msm

.

National Center for School Engagement. Virginia Truancy Prevention Institute, Truancy,

Dropouts and Delinquency: Lessons, Costs and Strategies.

DL/bb