On this week’s podcast, Paul interviews Lauren Krisai, Senior Policy Analyst, Justice Action Network. Lauren’s group has worked extensively on bail reform nationwide. That bail reform was adopted in New Mexico via Constitutional Amendment in 2016 and Bernalillo County has been using a pre-trial assessment tool as well.
The system has been quite controversial with some (including former Gov. Martinez) labeling it “Catch and Release.” Paul and Lauren discuss the issue and whether bail reforms are to blame for New Mexico’s (or Bernalillo County’s) crime issues. Check out this important discussion about one of the hot-button issues in our State.
Informative but misses the point. Nobody wants to return to the cash bail system or lock up nonviolent offenders. But when prosecutors bypass the local courts and file federal charges as the only way to detain a violent offender, something is wrong.
The most useful piece of information is that judges DO have discretion to detain offenders regardless of what the formula recommends. The takeaway here is that bail reform does not improve public safety when a rogue judiciary is not held accountable for releasing violent offenders.
Folks, I don’t mean to beat a dead horse but what did you expect? The last time Republicans held a majority on the State Supreme Court was in the 1920’s. The NM Supreme Court has been rated as the most liberal in the country by examining the organizations that contribute to the Democrat justices on the court. The chief architect of the new bail rules , Justice Charles Daniels, had been a criminal defense attorney in Albuquerque for 30 years before going on the court. What’s the surprise? Things like this happen in a state that has had single party Dem rule at the state level for most of the last 88 years. We have the government and court system we deserve.