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Karly Phillips

420 Redondo Dr E 1
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(623)640-0634
_______________________________________________

April 12, 2018

Governor Susana Martinez


Office of the Governor
490 Old Santa Fe Trail
Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Dear Governor Susana Martinez,

This letter is a review of the proposal you sent me last month on the Juvenile Justice System here
in Albuquerque. Attached are the few recommendations I thought might improve your plan.

Overall, the report looks like an exceptional plan, but I have included several recommendations
to make sure the actions taken are beneficial in the long run. Specifically, I express that the
government provide the delinquents with mentors and jobs to build the juveniles’ self-esteem and
confidence. I believe that in doing so, the effects on the juvenile delinquents will last longer and
the rate will lower.

Please look over the report as soon as possible. I would also like to schedule an appointment to
meet with you and discuss both reports in person.

Thank you for choosing me to look over your plan. If you have any questions or comments, you
can call me at (623)640-0634 or email me at krphillips@unm.edu. This number and email are my
business contacts, so I will respond promptly.

Sincerely,
Karly R Phillips
Karly Phillips
Juvenile Specialist
University of New Mexico
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Juvenile Delinquents in Albuquerque, NM


Email: krphillips@unm.edu
English 219-008

“Most Dangerous State in


America”

Karly Phillips
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CONTENTS

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 2
Statistics .................................................................................................................. 3
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 5
Mentors ................................................................................................................... 6
Responsibility ....................................................................................................... 7
Close Watch/Screening …………………..………………………………………………………..…...8
Health Sessions……………………………………………………………………………………..9
Results ...………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Discussion of Results ………………………………………………………………………………………….…..10
Works Cited …………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..11
Reflection……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
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Juvenile Delinquents

Introduction
Albuquerque, New Mexico is known for having some of the worst crime in the
country; in fact, New Mexico was ranked the most dangerous state in the United States in
2018 and the 3rd most dangerous state in 2017. Albuquerque, New Mexico’s most
populated city, has an estimated population of 562,572 people. According to
www.neighborhoodscout.com, Albuquerque’s crime rate is 82 per one thousand residents
and is included in the “top 100 most dangerous cities in the U.S.A”. There are about 6,429
violent crimes and 39,264 property crimes every year. This adds up to 45,693 crimes per
year. Out of these 45,693 crimes per year, 12,609 were juvenile delinquent
crimes/referrals.

Juvenile delinquents are defined as children between the ages of 10 and 18, who
have committed a crime. However, the “crimes” are called delinquent acts because
normally the minors will not be tried as adults. These acts can include assault, property,
violence, or theft crimes. Anything that is considered breaking the law, is a juvenile
delinquent referral. A referral is similar to an arrest, except for minors. Most delinquents
are sent to police departments, and sometimes after further investigation, detention
centers.

Albuquerque is a very
dangerous city for everyone.
Most families have mixed
feelings about living there and
raising their children. Trying
to diminish the crime rate,
starting with the younger
generation, could potentially
change the state’s reputation.
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*Figure 1 shows the different types of juvenile referrals in 2016

 Referrals can also be caused by violating probation


 There are often multiple offenses in one referral
 There were 19,765 offenses from the 12,609 referrals
 The number of referrals is decreasing
 There are more Hispanic delinquents referred than any other ethnicity
 Figure 1 and 2 show the different offenses committed
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*Figure 2 shows the type of serious juvenile offenses in 2016

New Mexico currently conducts juvenile screening to determine the risks and needs of a
delinquent. These screenings help the government decide how to proceed and create a
plan. The screenings are conducted periodically until the delinquent is discharged. The
screenings also help track progress and modify plans. The screenings are mainly used to
determine the likelihood of the delinquent committing another offense.
The CYFD has created a list of important variables considered during the screenings:

▪ N1: Family Relationships ▪ N7: Victimization


▪ N2: Emotional Stability ▪ N8: Social Relations
▪ N3: Education ▪ N9: Employment/Vocational
▪ N4: Substance Abuse ▪ N10: Sexuality/Sexual History
▪ N5: Physical Issues ▪ N11: Criminal History of Biological Parents
▪ N6: Life Skills ▪ N12: Community Resources
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Recommendations
I believe that these screenings are very beneficial. However, I have been asked to come
up with several recommendations for the juvenile delinquency problem in Albuquerque,
New Mexico. So, in addition to the screenings, my recommendations are listed below:

1. Ask for volunteers in the community to mentor the delinquents, because they
obviously don’t have strong mentors now.
2. Offer them a job, or some other kind of responsibility to build their self-worth and
show them what matters.
3. Keep close watch (not probation), without smothering the juveniles. This will make
sure we can stop them from committing anymore crimes or straying from their new
responsibilities.
4. Offer mental health checkups, counseling, anger management sessions, and speech
therapy.

*Figure 3 shows the age groups for delinquent referrals in 2016


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Methodology
The next few pages explain the recommendations in detail, with examples to grasp
the suggestion:
Mentors: Example:
Juvenile delinquents almost always have Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a
broken homes or poor adults to look up to. prime example of how effective mentoring
If the minors had a good support system or is. Big Brothers Big Sisters targets older
a responsible parent, they wouldn’t be students who have time to mentor, and who
juvenile delinquents. Good, responsible are trying to get some volunteer work on
parenting includes discipline, love, and their resume, to mentor. Having a younger
guidance. If the juveniles don’t receive mentor to help troubled (or not troubled)
these things at home, there are plenty of children is very effective, because the
people around the community who are mentee can relate to their mentor and can
willing to give it to them. trust and confide in them. Plus, having a
Mentoring programs have been set into mentor and mentee close in age makes for
effect all over the country for this exact a less awkward situation and a stronger
reason. These programs are meant to relationship.
prevent and deter the minors from
committing crimes. Many men and women
volunteer all over the U.S. to help mentor
children going down the wrong path.
These volunteers don’t foster the children,
but instead just help guide them through
life and tough decisions. The goal is for the
child to have someone they can look up to,
admire and follow in their footsteps.
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Methodology
Responsibility:
Giving delinquents something to do or Example:
something they can be proud of increases Chicago started a summer job program for
self-esteem and self-worth. This also helps teenagers. Emily Badger posted to The
prepare them for the future when they will Washington Post, that the jobs were meant
have need to take care of themselves for the “city’s high-crime, low-income
without breaking the law to do it. Giving neighborhoods” and that the officials
the youth something to do can also reach hoped it would lower the crime rate. The
them a different way. It can show them results of the program had “43 percent
that they aren’t worthless and that they can fewer violent-crime arrests over 16 months,
do whatever they want if they put their compared to students in a control group”
mind to it. This deters them from (Badger). Having a job gave the teenagers
committing crimes because it shows them something to do to stay out of trouble and a
that they don’t have to resort to criminal way to earn money.
activity to survive or get by.
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Methodology
Close Watch
After finding the child a mentor and giving
them a responsibility, it is now time to
monitor what the child is doing and make
sure criminal activity is out of their mind.
The state already conducts periodic
screening for this reason, but I believe
these screenings should be more personal.
Building a relationship with the
interviewer or probation officer can Example:
provide better results. If the juveniles see a
person they can trust, they will make better
progress and reveal more information.
Keep in mind: don’t smother the child or
make it seem like you’re their shadow. Just
check in on them to make sure they are
improving.

The screenings from 2016 are shown above


in a chart. As shown, the screenings from
2016 helped the government assess who
was at risk of committing another crime.
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Methodology

Health Sessions Example:


Providing troubled children and teenagers An article named “Strategies to
with anger management classes, Prevent Youth Violence” by the
counseling, and speech therapy can help Centers for Disease Control and
them voice what they are trying to say Prevention discusses how adolescents
instead of getting angry and resorting to act aggressively when faced with
violence. Having the children checked situations they are unprepared for.
about every 6 months for depression and Their strategy to prevent violence was
anxiety may also help the government to introduce a social-cognitive
treat mental health problems before the intervention. This intervention
juvenile falls too far. These sessions can basically helps children gain the skills
be conducted during the screenings to they need to effectively handle difficult
save time and money. situations, like anger management
classes. As a result, the teens have
become less aggressive and are no
longer high risk.

*Figure 4 shows the rate of treatment


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Results
Providing mentors to the troubled youth could prevent any potential criminal activities,
but could also change the path someone is already on. Giving the delinquents a
responsibility, such as a job or a hobby, will keep them out of trouble and build their
self-worth. This will also give the youth a way to earn money without resorting to
criminal activity. Monitoring on the delinquents helps make sure they don’t fall through
the cracks of the system. Giving the youth access to anger management classes, speech
therapy, and counseling lets the children talk through their problems and express their
anger in a different way.

Discussion of Results
I suggest that at least two of my recommendations above need to be executed to see any
progress here in Albuquerque. The crime rate in Albuquerque is high; and the fact that
the juvenile crime rate is as high as it is, is staggering. The screening is a great way to
discover who is at risk, but more action needs to be taken. Hopefully, these
recommendations and examples provide the government and the Juvenile Justice
System here in Albuquerque with a few ideas on how to improve their project plan.
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Works Cited

“Albuquerque.” Albuquerque Crime Rates and Statistics- NeighborhoodScout,

www.neighborhoodscout.com/nm/albuquerque/crime

Badger, Emily. “Chicago gave hundreds of high-Risk kids a summer job. Violent crime

arrests plummeted.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 Dec. 2014,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/12/08/one-cheap-way-to-

curb-crime-give-teens-a-summer-job/?utm_term=.cc4fcc3f95cc

Marcantel, Tamera, et al. New Mexico Juvenile Justice Services Fiscal Year2016

Annual Report. New Mexico: Children Youth and Families Department, 2016.

Print. https://cyfd.org/docs/FY16_JJSAnnualReport.pdf

Figure Works Cited

Figure 1: https://cyfd.org/docs/FY16_JJSAnnualReport.pdf

Figure 2: https://cyfd.org/docs/FY16_JJSAnnualReport.pdf

Figure 3: https://cyfd.org/docs/FY16_JJSAnnualReport.pdf

Figure 4: http://www.rawhide.org/blog/wellness/teen-anger-aggression-causes-

treatment/
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