John Romero Jr. speaks Thursday to an interim legislative committee in Albuquerque about his work recommending changes to the Children’s Code. (Patrick Lohmann/Source NM)
A retired children’s court judge and member of a task force re-vamping the state Children’s Code warned a legislative committee Thursday that increased criminal penalties for young people won’t work.
John Romero Jr.’s lecture was among six presentations Thursday regarding juvenile justice before members of the interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee. The committee is one of several legislative committees mulling ways to address juvenile crime in New Mexico at the 30-day legislative session beginning in January…