A. At the conclusion of the dispositional hearing, the court may make and include in the dispositional judgment its findings on the following:

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Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 32A-2-19

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.

(1)     the interaction and interrelationship of the child with the child’s parents and siblings and any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interests;

(2)     the child’s adjustment to the child’s home, school and community; (3)     the mental and physical health of all individuals involved, including consideration of such factors as the child’s brain development, maturity, trauma history and disability;

(4)     the wishes of the child as to the child’s custodian;

(5)     the wishes of the child’s parents as to the child’s custody;

(6)     whether there exists a relative of the child or other individual who, after study by the department, is found to be qualified to receive and care for the child;

(7)     the availability of services recommended in the predisposition report; and

(8)     the ability of the parents to care for the child in the home.

B. If a child is found to be delinquent, the court may enter its judgment making any of the following dispositions for the supervision, care and rehabilitation of the child:

(1)     transfer legal custody to the department, an agency responsible for the care and rehabilitation of delinquent children, which shall receive the child at a facility designated by the secretary of the department as a juvenile reception facility. The department shall thereafter determine the appropriate placement, supervision and rehabilitation program for the child. The judge may include recommendations for placement of the child. Commitments are subject to limitations and modifications set forth in Section 32A-2-23 N.M. Stat. Ann.. The types of commitments include:

(a) a short-term commitment of one year in a facility for the care and rehabilitation of adjudicated delinquent children. No more than nine months shall be served at the facility and no less than ninety days shall be served on supervised release, unless: 1) a petition to extend the commitment has been filed prior to the commencement of supervised release; 2) the commitment has been extended pursuant to Section 32A-2-23 N.M. Stat. Ann.; or 3) supervised release is revoked pursuant to Section 32A-2-25 N.M. Stat. Ann.;

(b) a long-term commitment for no more than two years in a facility for the care and rehabilitation of adjudicated delinquent children. No more than twenty-one months shall be served at the facility and no less than ninety days shall be served on supervised release, unless: 1) supervised release is revoked pursuant to Section 32A- 2-25 NMSA 1978; or 2) the commitment is extended pursuant to Section 32A-2-23 N.M. Stat. Ann.;

(c) if the child is a delinquent offender who committed one of the criminal offenses set forth in Subsection J of Section 32A-2-3 N.M. Stat. Ann., a commitment to age twenty-one, unless sooner discharged; or

(d) if the child is a youthful offender, a commitment to age twenty-one, unless sooner discharged;

(2)     place the child on probation under those conditions and limitations as the court may prescribe;

(3)     place the child in a local detention facility that has been certified in accordance with the provisions of Section 32A-2-4 N.M. Stat. Ann. for a period not to exceed fifteen days within a three hundred sixty-five day time period; or if a child is found to be delinquent solely on the basis of Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of section 32A-2-3 N.M. Stat. Ann., the court shall only enter a judgment placing the child on probation or ordering restitution or both; or

(4)     if a child is found to be delinquent solely on the basis of Paragraph (2), (3) or (4) of Subsection A of Section 32A-2-3 N.M. Stat. Ann., the court may make any disposition provided by this section and may enter its judgment placing the child on probation and, as a condition of probation, transfer custody of the child to the department for a period not to exceed six months without further order of the court; provided that this transfer shall not be made unless the court first determines that the department is able to provide or contract for adequate and appropriate treatment for the child and that the treatment is likely to be beneficial.

C. When the child is an Indian child, the Indian child’s cultural needs shall be considered in the dispositional judgment and reasonable access to cultural practices and traditional treatment shall be provided.

D. A child found to be delinquent shall not be committed or transferred to a penal institution or other facility used for the execution of sentences of persons convicted of crimes.

E. Whenever the court vests legal custody in an agency, institution or department, it shall transmit with the dispositional judgment copies of the clinical reports, predisposition study and report and other information it has pertinent to the care and treatment of the child.

F. Prior to any child being placed in the custody of the department, the department shall be provided with reasonable oral or written notification and an opportunity to be heard.

G. In addition to any other disposition pursuant to Subsection B of this section, the court may make an abuse or neglect report for investigation and proceedings as provided for in the Abuse and Neglect Act [N.M. Stat. Ann. Chapter 32A, Article 4]. The report may be made to a local law enforcement agency, the department or a tribal law enforcement or social service agency for an Indian child residing in Indian country.

H. In addition to any other disposition pursuant to this section or any other penalty provided by law, if a child who is fifteen years of age or older is adjudicated delinquent on the basis of Paragraph (2), (3) or (4) of Subsection A of Section 32A-2-3 N.M. Stat. Ann., the child’s driving privileges may be denied or the child’s driver’s license may be revoked for a period of ninety days. For a second or a subsequent adjudication, the child’s driving privileges may be denied or the child’s driver’s license revoked for a period of one year. Within twenty-four hours of the dispositional judgment, the court may send to the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department the order adjudicating delinquency. Upon receipt of an order from the court adjudicating delinquency, the director of the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department may revoke or deny the delinquent’s driver’s license or driving privileges. Nothing in this section may prohibit the delinquent from applying for a limited driving privilege pursuant to Section 66-5-35 N.M. Stat. Ann. or an ignition interlock license pursuant to the Ignition Interlock Licensing Act N.M. Stat. Ann. § 66-5-501 to 66-5-504, and nothing in this section precludes the delinquent’s participation in an appropriate educational, counseling or rehabilitation program.

I. In addition to any other disposition pursuant to this section or any other penalty provided by law, when a child is adjudicated delinquent on the basis of Paragraph (6) of Subsection A of Section 32A-2-3 N.M. Stat. Ann., the child shall perform the mandatory community service set forth in Section 30-15-1.1 N.M. Stat. Ann.. When a child fails to completely perform the mandatory community service, the name and address of the child’s parent or legal guardian shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation, accompanied by a notice that the parent or legal guardian is the parent or legal guardian of a child adjudicated delinquent for committing graffiti.