CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SIXTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO.
M-24-1 ENACTMENT NO. __________________
SPONSORED BY: Dan Champine
MEMORIAL
title
Urging The New Mexico State Legislature To Consider Changes To New Mexico's Criminal Justice Pretrial Detention System That Has Created An Unacceptable Level Of Lawlessness In And Throughout The Albuquerque Area And The Council Urges State Legislative Leaders To Move Such Proposals Through The Committee System And Allow Up Or Down Votes On The Floors Of The House And Senate (Champine)body
URGING THE NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO NEW MEXICO'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRETRIAL DETENTION SYSTEM THAT HAS CREATED AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF LAWLESSNESS IN AND THROUGHOUT THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA AND THE COUNCIL URGES STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO MOVE SUCH PROPOSALS THROUGH THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM AND ALLOW UP OR DOWN VOTES ON THE FLOORS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
WHEREAS, the existing system has resulted in individuals charged with violent felonies being subject to limited to no supervision, thereby contributing to an alarming increase in additional violent crimes; and
WHEREAS, our constituents have made their voices heard, that they demand violent criminals face swift and certain consequences for committing crimes in our community and the justice system end the "revolving door" practice of releasing most defendants from jail pre-trial - even repeat offenders and those arrested for violent crimes; and
WHEREAS, 85% of New Mexicans - including staggering majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike - support changing state law to ensure people who are charged with certain violent crimes are detained in jail until their trial (Albuquerque Journal poll, Research & Polling Inc., September 2022); and
WHEREAS, the Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department, Harold Medina, has said, "We need to fix this process so the public will have faith that we are keeping the commun...
Click here for full text