Solving New Mexico crime problem more complicated than new laws

The Gov. and Legislature are clearly not on the same page when it comes to adopting changes to New Mexico laws relating to crime. Democrats who have overwhelming majorities in both houses were completely opposed to what the Gov. attempted in the special session and thus essentially scuttled the whole thing. For her part the Gov. says she may bring the Legislature back for ANOTHER special session.

There are numerous issues here including the Gov. largely ignoring crime (and GOP solutions to it) for her first 6 years in office, but I want to focus more broadly on crime because the causes of crime are more complicated than just passing more laws in Santa Fe. For starters, the Gov. needs to lean on Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller to enforce existing laws on crime. She could also nominate “tough on crime” judges to the bench. That’s not my conclusion, rather, that’s the conclusion of the Legislative Finance Committee which recently published a 37 page report on crime in Bernalillo County

Among the report’s findings was that “the criminal justice system in Bernalillo County has an accountability gap where arrests,
criminal convictions, and prison admissions do not keep pace with trends in criminal activity.” Duh. Anyone who lives in (mostly Albuquerque, not the County) recognizes that laws are not enforced, police don’t show up, and judges give light sentences of dismiss crimes in the first place.

But, there are even broader solutions that may take years to fully take effect, but will do more than laws to address New Mexico’s crime issues. They are: getting people (especially young men) into the work force and (of course) improving our education system. Here is a paragraph from an April 2024 LFC report:

If the Gov. really wants to address crime, she needs to propose and push legislative ideas that would improve New Mexico’s abysmal workforce participation rate. Republicans and Democrats will undoubtedly have different ideas for solving New Mexico’s workforce participation issues, but it is time to put that issue on the agenda in a serious way if we’re really going to address crime.

But, that would require the Gov. to ALSO have a serious discussion about New Mexico’s failing education system and its outsized role in failing New Mexico children. Sadly, MLG has expressed little interest in tackling education reform which would be unpopular with her union base. Instead she’s spent a great deal of time and energy attempting to force relatively successful rural districts to adopt 5 day school weeks.