EDITORIAL: We can get a LEAD on preventing lives of crime in ABQ

Jun. 24—There has been much focus in the Albuquerque metro area and elsewhere on the concepts of "not criminalizing our residents" and "restorative justice."

Unfortunately, those concepts have not been made realities more than a handful of times in the metro area — even though we've had a program for two years dedicated to helping those defendants accused of low-level crimes who are struggling with mental health issues and/or addiction to get out, and stay out, of the legal system.

And, while COVID-19 and its safety protocols put a crimp in Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) training and in-person contacts, it's all the more important now that things are opening up for our law enforcement officers, prosecutors and defense attorneys to get the word out, and for members of our community to support their relatives, friends and neighbors who make the commitment not to make their lives one of crime.

For those who would point to the rise in violent crime in the metro area and decry any so-called slap on the wrist, we are not talking about violent offenses here. The LEAD program's aim is to reduce the number of non-violent frequent flyers who would be better served by a hand up rather than a trip into and through the legal system. When the Second Judicial District Attorney's Office and the Albuquerque Police Department announced the LEAD program back in 2019, they made it clear the focus was on low-level crimes, including minor drug possession, prostitution, vagrancy, loitering and property crime done to feed an addiction. Not eligible was anyone accused of a violent felony, crimes against children or drug-dealing for profit, and if the crime involved a victim, the victim had to OK the diversion.

At the April 2019 announcement, APD Deputy Chief Eric Garcia said, "This is not a 'get-out-of-jail-free card.' They'll still be accountable for any future crimes."

Unfortunately, two years later, in a city of more than 600,000, a whopping 98 people have been referred to the program by APD, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and others, only 44 completed the intake process and just seven are active clients. Not exactly a groundswell for not criminalizing low-level offenders.

So it's encouraging the LEAD program has new federal funding (a three-year $1 million grant), a dedicated revenue stream of $250K (from Bernalillo County's behavioral health tax for case managers and other costs) and a new program manager (Glenn St. Onge, who knows Albuquerque, its crime patterns and crime fighters, having retired in 2016 as a lieutenant after 20 years with APD).

As St. Onge works to educate skeptics on the force, as prosecutors and defense attorneys reclassify their version of a win as helping someone get on a better path, we need every member of our community who knows someone who could benefit from LEAD (and the many other diversion and specialty court programs that are woefully underused) to speak up and support them as they put in the work. Completing the program is hard — and those who qualify have to truly change their lives to succeed. Most diversion programs are at least 18 months long, and require regular court and office visits, individual and group therapy, and random drug and alcohol tests. While it is not an easy path, having a clean record and starting on the next chapter of life is worth it.

Not criminalizing our residents and restorative justice are important concepts. Let's all try to make that a reality for more than a handful of people.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.