SENATE MEMORIAL

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Steven P. Neville and Gerald Ortiz y Pino

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE COSTS, BENEFITS AND FEASIBILITY OF TRANSITIONING DETENTION FACILITIES FROM INDIVIDUAL COUNTY OPERATIONS TO A UNIFIED JAIL AND PRISON SYSTEM.

     WHEREAS, there are twenty-seven county-operated adult detention facilities in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the operational capacity of county-operated adult detention facilities ranges from ten detainees and inmates to two thousand three hundred thirty-six detainees and inmates; and

     WHEREAS, the average daily population of the twenty-seven county-operated adult detention facilities ranges from two to one thousand one hundred sixty detainees and inmates; and

     WHEREAS, detention facilities are complex operations that require a high level of expertise and adequate numbers of well-trained staff to function properly; and

     WHEREAS, substantial time and resources are spent by various governmental entities billing each other for the costs of incarceration and addressing disputes regarding who is responsible for paying those costs; and

     WHEREAS, detainees and inmates are poorly served by a system that does not have a way to effectively share medical and behavioral health information; and

     WHEREAS, the services and programming available in county detention facilities vary greatly; and

     WHEREAS, significant taxpayer dollars are wasted by having twenty-seven independent facilities, each requiring comprehensive medical and mental health services regardless of size or capacity; and

     WHEREAS, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont all have unified jail and prison systems, and West Virginia has a single state authority that oversees regional facilities; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico could benefit from the efficiencies created by a unified system where records could be shared and resources could be saved through economies of scale; and

     WHEREAS, it is inefficient and wasteful to have numerous independent governmental entities operating detention facilities within the state;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico association of counties be requested to convene a task force of stakeholders to study the costs, benefits and feasibility of transitioning the state to a unified jail and prison system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include representatives from the New Mexico association of counties, the corrections department and the administrative office of the courts; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings to the appropriate interim legislative committee by December 1, 2022; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the executive director of the New Mexico association of counties, the director of the administrative office of the courts and the secretary of corrections.

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