How to hold to account criminals found to be incompetent in New Mexico is a divisive issue, especially to those who have been a victim of a crime.   

The state courts are jumping into that debate and hope to alleviate some of those concerns by implementing a new competency diversion pilot program that has launched in select jurisdictions. One of the program’s goals is to get eligible mentally ill offenders the resources and treatment they need to be able to fit within society instead of being circled through an already stressed legal system.   

Justice Briana Zamora of the New Mexico Supreme Court joins the latest episode of “Conversations Different” to discuss the diversion program, what kind of impact she hopes the program will have on our communities and the challenges she’s experienced when dealing with cases involving mentally incompetent individuals.  

Justice Zamora also elaborates on the need for agency and legislative collaboration for the diversion program to be effective, saying it will require significant long-term investment to see results.  

How to hold&nbsp;to account&nbsp;criminals&nbsp;found&nbsp;to be&nbsp;incompetent&nbsp;in New Mexico is a&nbsp;divisive&nbsp;issue, especially&nbsp;to those&nbsp;who have been a&nbsp;victim&nbsp;of a&nbsp;crime.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The&nbsp;state&nbsp;courts&nbsp;are&nbsp;jumping into that debate and&nbsp;hope&nbsp;to alleviate some of those&nbsp;concerns&nbsp;by implementing&nbsp;a new&nbsp;competency&nbsp;diversion&nbsp;pilot&nbsp;program&nbsp;that has&nbsp;launched&nbsp;in select&nbsp;jurisdictions.&nbsp;One of the program&rsquo;s goals&nbsp;is to&nbsp;get&nbsp;eligible&nbsp;mentally&nbsp;ill&nbsp;offenders&nbsp;the&nbsp;resources&nbsp;and&nbsp;treatment&nbsp;they need&nbsp;to&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;fit&nbsp;within&nbsp;society&nbsp;instead of&nbsp;being&nbsp;circled&nbsp;through&nbsp;an already stressed&nbsp;legal system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Justice Briana Zamora&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;New Mexico Supreme Court joins&nbsp;the latest episode of &ldquo;Conversations Different&rdquo;&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;the&nbsp;diversion&nbsp;program,&nbsp;what kind of impact she hopes the program will have on&nbsp;our&nbsp;communities&nbsp;and&nbsp;the challenges&nbsp;she&rsquo;s&nbsp;experienced when&nbsp;dealing with&nbsp;cases involving&nbsp;mentally&nbsp;incompetent&nbsp;individuals.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Justice Zamora also elaborates&nbsp;on the need for&nbsp;agency and legislative&nbsp;collaboration&nbsp;for the&nbsp;diversion program&nbsp;to be effective, saying&nbsp;it&nbsp;will require&nbsp;significant&nbsp;long-term investment&nbsp;to see results.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Conversations Different is presented by the Santa Fe New Mexican and features host Inez Russell Gomez in provocative talks with local and regional personalities shaping the landscape of Northern New Mexico.

Inez Russell Gomez is Opinion Page Editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican with decades of experience writing and editing the news in America's oldest capital city.

Conversations Different is presented by the Santa Fe New Mexican and features host Inez Russell Gomez in provocative talks with local and regional personalities shaping the landscape of Northern New Mexico.
Inez Russell Gomez is Opinion Page Editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican with decades of experience writing and editing the news in America's oldest capital city.

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