Bernalillo County DA proposes changes to children’s code to legislative committee

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The numbers are sobering. "Too many people, too many victims are killed by juveniles in our community," said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.

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He said from January of last year to November of this year there have been 1,448 juvenile cases. This includes 24 homicides, 386 cases involving firearms, 49 armed robberies, and 44 rapes. He said from 2022 to 2023, there's been a 57% increase in cases that involved kids with guns. "It is real, it is escalating, it is unacceptable at ever level," said Bregman.

In front of lawmakers on Tuesday, he presented a 64-page bill with proposed amendments to the children's code to crack down on youth crime. Changes he'd like to see include expanding what juveniles can be charged for as adults, from just first-degree murder, to include second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, rape, and shooting at a car or building causing great bodily harm or death.

"Because at the end of the day, if you commit these kind of heinous, awful kind of adult crimes, you should be charged as an adult," said Bregman. He'd also like to see those who turn 18 years old whilst in juvenile detention to be transferred straight to county jail with other adults which current law prohibits.

It's an amendment one lawmaker questioned. "I understand not having 18-year-olds in with 13-year-olds, absolutely. But, I'm troubled by the solution to that putting 18-year-olds with 40-year-olds who, I suspect that 18-year-old will come out even more likely to be engaged with criminal behavior," said Rep. Andrea Reeb, a Republican representing Chaves, Curry, and Roosevelt Counties.

Bregman said he doesn't want to lock kids up and throw away the key but does want to show kids there are consequences to their actions. "I urge you to seek evidence of effectiveness as you try to implement these things," said Rep. Gail Chasey, a Democrat from Albuquerque.

The public defender's office has told KRQE News 13 that charging kids as adults causes them to lose certain protections. They also said they'd like to see more money funneled to services for kids to address the root causes that lead them to commit crimes.