Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Competency Diversion Program

Here, and in most of the country, there’s a crisis involving crimes, mostly misdemeanors, committed by the mentally ill. Many are also homeless. Police Cheif Jeremy Story says a small percentage of people commit huge numbers of crimes. Citizens rage that someone gets arrested then repeats the same crime a week or two later. A key failing in the system is that courts can’t constitutionally charge a person who can’t follow what’s going on and help his layer defend him, but you can’t just toss that person in jail or an asylum without showing he or she is dangerous to the public or specific people. This is described as the intersection of mental health – which seems epidemic these days – and the criminal justice system.

The New Mexico Supreme Court Commission on Mental Health and Competency has worked hard to devise a better way. That better way has been written up in great detail, and on Friday starts the pilot program of the Competency Diversion Program in two judicial districts of the state, one of which is Dona Ana County.

There’s a lot to ask about this program – e.g. why we need it, what the laws are, how this is going to work, why it’s so promising – and our guests can answer them.

We’re delighted to spend a whole hour, 8:30 - 9:30, discussing this important topic in some detail with New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Briana Zamora, Magistrate Judge Alex Rossario, and Public Defender Kris Knutson.