§ 32A-13-1 NMSA 1978

The legislature finds that juvenile crime is steadily increasing and that a reliable process of disposition of juvenile offenders and the availability of treatment alternatives is likely to decrease repeated criminal activity. The legislature further finds that there is a need for a community-based system for juveniles which would provide reintegration assistance, diagnostic evaluations and referral to community-based treatment programs for courts, district attorneys and other service agencies. Two programs related to such a system and associated with the judicial and criminal justice systems have been tested for the past three years. They have been found to be successful in providing evaluation and treatment and have shown significant reduction of repeated criminal activity. These programs are the forensic evaluation program and the wilderness experience program.