HOUSE MEMORIAL 21

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Mimi Stewart

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN, DEVELOPED BY THE TASK FORCE FORMED IN RESPONSE TO HOUSE MEMORIAL 40 OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, FOR A CONTINUUM OF GENDER-RESPONSIVE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

     WHEREAS, the task force formed by the children, youth and families department in response to House Memorial 40 of the second session of the forty-ninth legislature conducted a review of gender-responsive risk assessment tools, existing treatment options for gender-responsive services and programs and best practice models for implementing and sustaining gender-responsive services and programs in the juvenile justice system; and

     WHEREAS, the task force concluded that full implementation of a continuum of gender-responsive services and programs is needed to meet the goals and objectives outlined in its report; and

     WHEREAS, in response to House Memorial 40, the task force has recommended the continuation of, and an enhanced partnership between, the children, youth and families department, the judiciary, the statewide single entity for behavioral health services and the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative; and

     WHEREAS, the task force has concluded that a strategic juvenile justice plan must include children who are not yet involved but who are at risk for school failure, acting out and delinquent behavior; and

     WHEREAS, the statutory juvenile justice advisory committee, appointed pursuant to the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, has received federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funds to create a sustainable and comprehensive system of support for young women in the New Mexico juvenile justice system; and

     WHEREAS, the juvenile justice advisory committee has recognized that services for girls must be gender-responsive and culturally sensitive and must address a wide array of gender-related issues in order to be effective; and

     WHEREAS, policies, practices and programs that are relational, building on healthy connections with family, significant others and the community, are essential to the success of services for girls in the juvenile justice system; and

     WHEREAS, in order to improve the lives of girls in the juvenile justice system there must be professional training for all juvenile justice staff and juvenile justice system stakeholders and heightened interaction between service providers and the public education department; and

     WHEREAS, a system for unified and standardized data collection and analysis must be implemented using gender-specific and culturally responsive tools that are sensitive to race, ethnicity and culture to assess risks, needs and strengths; and

     WHEREAS, the juvenile justice advisory committee has recognized that supporting girls in the juvenile justice system requires prevention and early intervention within a restorative justice framework and must include a continuum of services, including community resources to support families; and 

     WHEREAS, effective prevention and early intervention programs have been proven to lower the costs to law enforcement and the juvenile justice system and to reduce the number of young women who enter the adult justice system, thereby resulting in a potentially significant fiscal savings to the state; and

     WHEREAS, the juvenile justice advisory committee has agreed to use its juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funds to implement its recommendations; thus, it will not require additional state funds;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the juvenile justice advisory committee, the children, youth and families department and the members of the task force formed in response to House Memorial 40 implement the recommendations presented to the legislature in a report on a sustainable plan for a continuum of gender-responsive services and programs for girls in the juvenile justice system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the juvenile justice advisory committee present a report to the appropriate interim legislative committee by September 2011 that sets forth the actions taken to implement the recommendations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the juvenile justice advisory committee, the children, youth and families department and the members of the task force.

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