The bill amends existing laws regarding the disposition of adjudicated delinquent offenders and youthful offenders in New Mexico. It grants courts the discretion to extend judgments for probation or commitment of a child up to the age of twenty-five, rather than the previous limit of twenty-one. The bill introduces new provisions that allow the court to consider the unique circumstances and history of the child when making custody decisions, including transferring legal custody to an agency responsible for the care and rehabilitation of delinquent children. Additionally, the court may impose commitment or probation for any period leading up to the child's twenty-fifth birthday.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the limitations on dispositional judgments, allowing for extensions of probation or commitment based on the child's circumstances and the necessity to protect the community or the child's welfare. The previous specific timeframes for short-term and long-term commitments have been removed, and the court now has broader authority to extend judgments as needed. The bill also emphasizes the importance of considering the cultural needs of Indian children in dispositional judgments and ensures that adequate treatment options are available before transferring custody to the department.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 32A-2-19, 32A-2-20, 32A-2-23