New Mexico prisons see more than 260 inmates graduate high school

LOS LUNAS — Richard Lewis will be released from prison in two weeks after a four-year bid for forging treasury bonds. In that time, he’s earned nearly half of the credits he needs for a college degree.

Now, Lewis will have to be in a classroom for less than a year to get a college degree, and said he owes his progress to an educational program run by the New Mexico Corrections Department.

“I just got two A’s yesterday, and I graduated (this semester) with a B+,” he said. “Every semester I got better and better, and now I feel good about where I’m at.”

NMCD recently reported the highest number of high school equivalency graduates in state prisons for the third year in a row. Including Lewis, 266 inmates got their high school diploma in prisons across New Mexico, according to NMCD. Additionally, 51 received post-secondary degrees and certificates.

NMCD houses nearly 5,800 inmates, and 1,600 participated in adult education programs this year, according to NMCD spokesperson Brittany Roembach.

“A high school education is essential for securing gainful employment and reducing recidivism,” said NMCD Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero. “This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our Reentry Division staff, including our outstanding educators and facility teams.”

NMCD did not provide data on recidivism rates for those who earn their diplomas behind bars.

In fiscal year 2025, NMCD invested roughly $5 million in education, behavioral health and reentry programs, Roembach said.

All inmates — including those with violent charges or life sentences — are eligible to participate in education programs, with the hope that those who will reenter society after release will have an easier transition and will stay on course with their rehabilitation.

“For certain career technical courses, such as the new Certified Peer Support Worker program, NMCD is actively seeking long-term inmates to become certified, which would enable them to assist their peers during their time in the system,” Roembach said.

The department handpicked Lewis and another inmate from the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas to speak with the Journal. Before being charged with forgery, Lewis said he was a certified welder.

At 63 years old, he wasn’t sure what he would do for work when he left prison.

“I’m older, so physical stuff is a little harder,” Lewis said. “With this degree, I can find a job in something else.”

With college credits and a newfound hope, Lewis said he planned to pursue a degree in public health with the goal of helping other inmates. Lewis is aiming to complete his degree within the next year.

Employees at the prison go through each inmate’s history to verify their education, and inmates who did not complete a high school education are required to go through the program, according to Hope Benavidez, unit manager at CNMCF.

Jacob Velasquez said he was a truck driver before he was sentenced to nine years for stealing oil equipment from his former job site. Before prison, Velasquez had dropped out of high school because he suffered from a drug addiction.

Velasquez has three months left in prison before he will be released, and plans to return to truck driving. NMCD will help him complete a course to get his commercial driver’s license again.

“I dropped out my junior year, and after that, the only schooling I did was the truck driving school,” Velasquez said.

A GED is not required for truck driving, but Velasquez said it’s still nice to have, especially because many employers want some form of education for their employees. He said it also helps pass the time in prison, and it gives him a backup if he decides to pursue a new career later down the line.

Inmates who are released from prison receive continuum care, including health professionals, housing providers and community resource organizations. Inmates on parole are required to continue their education and seek employment, Roembach said.

“Many individuals on supervision attend community colleges and higher learning institutions statewide, with encouragement from their probation and parole officers to complete their education,” she said. “NMCD also utilizes peer facilitators to support offenders in accessing programs, services, and educational opportunities, providing an additional layer of encouragement.”