OPINION: There is hope: Addressing youth crime in our communities

The debate over youth violence and how to address it is once again front and center in the public square. Several unfortunate incidents involving youth violence across our state have made headlines, reigniting concerns about how best to handle the issue. Unfortunately, this is nothing new — our communities have struggled for generations to address youth crime, and while we have seen progress at times, recent trends suggest we may be facing a resurgence.

As an attorney and former commanding officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, early in my career, I served as a detective of juvenile violent crime and the head of the (anti)-Gang Unit. I saw firsthand the devastation that unchecked youth violence can bring to families and communities. In the mid-1990s, our city faced record numbers of youth and gang-related crimes. However, through hard work and collaborative community efforts, we saw a distinct reduction in youth violence during the next decade. This success was not accidental — it was the result of a multi-faceted approach that combined law enforcement with community engagement, prevention and intervention strategies.

National data confirms that juvenile crime trends fluctuate over time. According to the Council on Criminal Justice, property crimes committed by juveniles declined by 36% between 2016 and 2022. Violent crime rates among youth also dropped by 25% from 2019 to 2020 before returning to pre-2020 levels. While these numbers indicate some progress, there are still deeply troubling statistics. Juvenile-perpetrated homicides were 65% higher in 2022 than in 2016. These numbers suggest that while overall crime rates among youth may be declining, the severity of crimes being committed by young people remains a significant concern.

A 2023 progress report to a New Mexico Legislative committee revealed that caseloads for juvenile probation officers fell by 59% from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2022. This could indicate that fewer juveniles are entering the system, but it also raises questions about whether at-risk youth are receiving the necessary supervision and support to prevent them from engaging in further criminal activity.

Will new laws aimed at youth crime help curb this recent surge? Perhaps — if they introduce a level of accountability and balance. However, we must be cautious how we approach policy changes. We have seen the pendulum swing too far in one direction before, where youth in our communities were injected into the criminal justice system at an early age, labeled criminals and never found a way out. A one-size-fits-all approach is not the solution. Instead, we need a nuanced strategy that prioritizes prevention and intervention as much as prosecution.

As an adjunct professor of criminal justice, I have taught about the complexities of juvenile crime. There is no single answer to this issue. The most effective approaches involve addressing the root causes of youth violence, including: lack of education, family instability, and exposure to violence at an early age. Investing in programs, mental health resources and job training initiatives can help steer young people away from crime.

There is hope. Our communities have faced cycles of youth crime before, and we have successfully reversed troubling trends in the past. The key lies in a comprehensive, community-wide approach which includes community stakeholders. Law enforcement, schools, social services, community organizations and families all play a role in shaping the future of our youth.