ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen told state lawmakers Monday that New Mexico is facing a “direct threat to public safety” driven by repeat violent offenders, juvenile crime and what he described as gaps in the state’s criminal-justice system.
Allen, speaking before a legislative crime task force, said deputies routinely encounter offenders with long criminal histories who are released and re-arrested within days. “We keep arresting the same violent offenders over and over again,” he said, adding that the pattern has eroded morale among officers and confidence among residents.
The sheriff also warned that juvenile crime has changed significantly in recent years, with younger offenders tied to armed robberies, narcotics trafficking and gang activity. He told lawmakers that juveniles as young as 13 are being recruited because criminal networks “know the penalties are weak.”
Allen said reform efforts enacted in previous years have not slowed the cycle of reoffending. He pointed to the state’s current bail framework, gaps in juvenile detention standards and repeated failures to secure convictions in firearm cases. “We are no longer victim-centered,” Allen said. “The system is coddling criminals while victims are forgotten.”
The sheriff urged legislators to strengthen New Mexico’s felon-in-possession law and consider mandatory detention standards for the most violent repeat offenders. He also called for expanded juvenile rehabilitation programs paired with long-term custody options for serious offenses.
Allen said the public’s frustration is shared by law enforcement. “We cannot continue to release offenders who immediately reoffend,” he said. “Without accountability, the crisis will only worsen.”
Lawmakers are expected to incorporate Allen’s testimony into a broader public-safety proposal for the 2025 legislative session.
