Detention Reform Efforts at Bernalillo County Detention Center, Albuquerque Police Department Reform

This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS…Ahead of the April 29th FRONTLINE special “Prison State,” which examines the mass incarceration of people in the United States, NMiF Producer Megan Kamerick talks about problems at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, and ongoing efforts to address them. Her guests are Lisa Simpson, who is working on detention reform efforts at Bernalillo County, Arthur Pepin, chairman of the Bernalillo County Criminal Justice Review Commission, and Paul Guerin with UNM’s Institute for Social Research. Among the biggest problems facing the MDC are overcrowding and the demand for behavioral health services.

The Line opinion panel looks at the controversy around an unflattering profile by Mother Jones magazine of Gov. Susana Martinez, which included recordings leaked from 2010 meetings with her campaign staff, in which she questioned the need for the Commission on the Status Women and criticized teachers for not working part of the year. The audio reveals a side of the governor at odds with her public persona, but it’s unclear what, if any, impact this will have on the 2014 governor’s race.

The Line also looks at the ongoing efforts to reform the Albuquerque Police Department in the wake of yet another shooting death this week by an APD officer and a devastating report by the U.S. Department of Justice that found APD has a pattern of violating people’s constitutional rights through the excessive use of force. DOJ will hold meetings to gather public input next week from citizens, and the Albuquerque City Council is proposing a number of reform initiatives to improve civilian oversight and fund more mental health services to try to curtail confrontations between the police and those with mental illness.

The Line also looks at some of the current economic indicators, both good and bad, such as the acquisition by Google of a drone company in Moriarty and the lagging job growth around New Mexico.

GUESTS:
Paul Guerin, Senior Research Scientist, Institute for Social Research, UNM
Elizabeth “Lisa” Simpson, Attorney, Technical Advisor to Adult Detention Reform Coordinators
Arthur Pepin, Chair, Bernalillo County Criminal Justice Review Commission

LINE PANELISTS:
Dan Foley, Former House Minority Whip
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group Public Relations

GUEST LINE PANELISTS
Dede Feldman, Former New Mexico Senator
Julie Ann Grimm, Editor, Santa Fe Reporter

CORRESPONDENT:
Megan Kamerick, NMiF Producer

HOST/COMMENTATOR: Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Megan Kamerick. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation.

Episode 743 for air April 25, 2014