Section 33-2A-6 - Overcrowding; population control mechanism; procedures. - New Mexico Statutes

33-2A-6. Overcrowding; population control mechanism; procedures.

When the inmate population of female correctional facilities or male correctional facilities exceeds one hundred percent of rated capacity for a period of thirty consecutive days, the following measures shall be taken to reduce capacity:   

A.     the corrections department shall engage in all lawful and professionally appropriate efforts to reduce the inmate population to one hundred percent of rated capacity;   

B.     if inmate population is still in excess of one hundred percent of rated capacity after sixty consecutive days, the secretary of corrections shall notify the commission. Included in the notification shall be a list of nonviolent offenders who are within one hundred eighty days of their projected release date;   

C.     the commission shall convene within ten days to consider the release of nonviolent offenders on the list provided by the secretary of corrections. The commission shall also discuss with the corrections department the impact on the inmate population of possible changes in the classification system and expanding incarceration alternatives;   

D.     for nonviolent offenders approved by the commission for release, the commission shall grant emergency release credits in ten-day increments that will be applied to the sentences being served by the nonviolent offenders. The commission shall order release of the appropriate number of nonviolent offenders to reduce the inmate population; and   

E.     notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, a nonviolent offender shall not be released:   

(1)     unless the nonviolent offender has a parole plan pursuant to applicable parole board regulations;   

(2)     if the information concerning the nonviolent offender is discovered to be materially inaccurate;   

(3)     if the nonviolent offender committed a crime while incarcerated;   

(4)     if the nonviolent offender fails a drug screening test within ten days of his scheduled release; or   

(5)     if the effect of releasing nonviolent offenders will result in the loss of federal funds to any agency of the state.