N.M. Stat. § 33-15-3
Incarceration of out-of-state inmates in privately operated
correctional facilities; minimum standards; secretary's authority to
adopt rules.
A. A privately operated correctional facility shall have statutory authority, other than
this section, in order to operate or house inmates. In addition to satisfying requirements
set forth in a statute other than this section, a privately operated correctional facility
shall meet the following minimum standards before housing ten or more out-of-state
inmates:
(1)
all correctional officers and other persons, employed or engaged by a
privately operated correctional facility, whose primary function is to provide security
shall, before being assigned to provide the security functions, successfully complete a
screening, background check and training course approved by the secretary. The
secretary may offer to provide services to the privately operated correctional facility,
including qualifying screening, background checks and a training program at the
corrections academy at a reasonable cost;
(2)
a privately operated correctional facility shall provide immediate oral
notice, followed by a written report, to the secretaries of public safety and corrections,
the local county sheriff and the chief of police of the municipality in which the facility is
located, or the chief of police of the nearest municipality, or their designees, whenever
any of the following events occur at the privately operated correctional facility:
(a) discharge of a firearm other than for training purposes;
(b) discharge of a chemical agent, gas or munitions to control the behavior of
two or more inmates;
(c) a hostage situation;
(d) the death of an inmate, staff member, visitor or other person;
(e) a disturbance involving five or more inmates;
(f) an escape or attempted escape; or
(g) the commission of a felony offense;
(3)
a privately operated correctional facility shall obtain and maintain current
accreditation by the American correctional association regarding standards for prisons
or standards for jails. As to any new privately operated correctional facility, the secretary
may allow the facility a period of two years from the date the facility becomes
operational to obtain accreditation or may require the facility to apply for and receive
provisional accreditation;
(4)
a privately operated correctional facility shall prepare an emergency
response plan deemed satisfactory by the secretary. A copy of the emergency response
plan shall be provided to the secretaries of public safety and corrections, the local
county sheriff and the chief of police of the municipality in which the facility is located, or
the chief of police of the nearest municipality, or their designees;
(5)
a privately operated correctional facility shall ensure that an out-of-state
inmate released from the privately operated correctional facility is released to his state
of origin; and
(6)
the owner or operator of a privately operated correctional facility shall
enter into a written contract with the entity that proposes to house ten or more out-of-
state inmates in the facility, and the contract shall contain provisions that require
compliance with the minimum standards set forth in this subsection.
B. The secretary shall review all contracts and proposed contracts between the
owner or operator of a privately operated correctional facility and the entity that
proposes to house ten or more out-of-state inmates in the facility. The secretary shall
prepare and submit to the county a written report summarizing his review of each
contract.
C. The secretary shall inspect and monitor a privately operated correctional facility
that houses or proposes to house ten or more out-of-state inmates to ensure
compliance with the minimum standards set forth in this section and to ensure
compliance with standards and rules adopted by the secretary pursuant to this section.
The secretary shall be provided with the classification records and other relevant
records pertaining to the out-of-state inmates who are proposed to be incarcerated at
the privately operated correctional facility. The secretary shall have subpoena authority
as to all present and former employees and other personnel of the privately operated
correctional facility, as well as to all records pertaining to the facility, for the purposes of
inspecting and monitoring the facility. Upon completion of an inspection, the secretary
shall submit a report with findings and recommendations to the privately operated
correctional facility, the board of county commissioners for the county where the facility
is located, the county sheriff of the county where the facility is located and the legislative
corrections oversight committee. The secretary shall allow the facility a reasonable
period of time to address any deficiencies and recommendations set forth in the report.
The secretary may conduct additional inspections to determine compliance with
minimum standards, rules and any recommendations. If a privately operated
correctional facility that houses or proposes to house out-of-state inmates fails to
comply with the standards and rules authorized pursuant to this section, the secretary
shall notify the county of the deficiencies and recommend corrective action.