CYFD data shows youth violence has declined in Santa Fe, region
In spite of apparent increases in some indicators of youth violence statewide, the First Judicial District — which includes Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties — has seen continued decreases in many youth crimes, according to data provided by the state Children, Youth and Families Department.
Charges against youth dipped in 2020 during the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, and data from the region shows they have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Weapons violations have showed an uptick in recent years since the initial drop.
Charges of assault and battery were about four times higher in the early 2000s throughout the district than they have been for several years. Charges of sex crimes, property crimes and probation violations against youth have also dropped.
The district saw 680 offenses total against youth in 2024, with 29% of those charges considered "violent" by the child welfare department.
While criminal charges against youth have been dropping districtwide, statistics from Santa Fe police in recent years show increasing reports of most types of violent crimes and property crimes.
Over the last two years, Santa Fe police have found at least nine Santa Fe Public Schools students in possession of weapons on campus, four of them firearms. Six of those incidents led to felony charges against the students.
Despite the statistical drop, the issue of youth violence has risen in prominence in Santa Fe in recent years amid many high-profile cases. The city and county governments have sought and distributed grant funding to local nonprofits for programs aiming to prevent violence and divert children from the criminal legal system.
City Youth and Family Services Department staff presented details about ongoing programs to a City Council committee last week. The department has distributed almost $1 million in federal funding to local groups in recent years, including YouthWorks, New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, Esperanza Shelter and a restorative justice program at Santa Fe Public Schools.
Santa Fe police Chief Paul Joye told the committee he and his officers were encountering fewer youth on their calls in the city.
Department Director Julie Sanchez told the committee she believes success for the city's violence interruption programs would be "seeing a reduction in youth crime, specifically gun violence and interpersonal violence."
Sanchez said she expects to see results from the city's efforts in five to seven years.
"Change is incremental," she said. "We're talking about not only addressing issues but creating cultural shifts and social shifts."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
17-year-old boy dies after June 3 Russian attack on Sumy, death toll rises to 6
A 17-year-old boy wounded in Russian attacks on downtown Sumy on June 3 died in the hospital, raising the death toll to six, regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported on June 10. Russia launched five attacks on the northeastern Ukrainian city using multiple launch rocket systems earlier this month, striking a densely populated area and injuring 28 people, including three children. The boy, whose name was not disclosed, succumbed to his injuries several days after the strike. "Russia is once again targeting what is most precious to us — our children, our future. Seventeen years old is just the beginning of life's journey. And that journey has been brutally cut short," Hryhorov wrote on Telegram. The barrage set two vehicles ablaze, heavily damaged a medical facility, and shattered homes across multiple residential buildings. Emergency workers completed their response at the site by 7 p.m. local time on June 3, and demining teams removed remnants of undetonated ordnance. President Volodymyr Zelensky said one of the projectiles failed to explode but tore through the wall of a nine-story apartment building. The attack came less than 24 hours after Russia and Ukraine held the second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, which yielded only a preliminary prisoner exchange agreement and no broader ceasefire progress. Sumy Oblast, which shares a long border with Russia, has been repeatedly shelled and targeted by drone strikes since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. In late May, Zelensky warned that Russia had concentrated 50,000 troops near the border in preparation for a possible renewed offensive to establish a "buffer zone" along Ukrainian territory. Since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, 632 Ukrainian children have been confirmed killed, according to Ukraine's national database. Read also: Russian missile and drone barrage hits Kyiv, Odesa, killing 2 and injuring 12, damaging maternity hospital We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police called after boy, 10, seen riding motorbike through County Durham streets
Police were called after a 10-year-old boy was seen riding a motorbike around County Durham streets. Officers from Durham Constabulary received several concerned calls from residents in Sacriston after they witnessed a boy weaving in and out of traffic on the vehicle over the last few weeks. A police vehicle with the bike (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY) According to police, one video they received showed the child weaving across the road heading up Front Street in the town, narrowly missing cars. After attending the scene, the police force confirmed that they had seized the vehicle and issued a warning to parents and children in the region about the dangers of vehicles and illegal riding on the roads. A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: "Officers have seized a bike after multiple reports of it being ridden on the road around Sacriston, by a very small child. Still footage of the boy on the bike (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY) "One caller stated, 'They had to call us, as they thought they'd end up dead, because of the way they were riding the bike' "This isn't about taking kids' toys away, and more about saving lives and preventing serious injuries. Public urged to comment on incinerator's bid to burn hazardous waste in County Durham Future of plans to upgrade A66 set to be revealed in key Government announcement "A child, under the age of 10, riding on the roads at a very busy time of day could have ended up in a serious incident, and no, they weren't wearing any protective equipment. "One video showed them weaving across the road heading up Front Street with cars coming very close to having an accident." "We'd much rather seize a bike than have to knock on your door and deliver the heartbreaking news of a loved one being seriously injured, or taken too soon."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Catastrophic:' sting urged over Star's myriad breaches
The Star has been named as a worse offender than Crown in breaking anti-money laundering compliance laws by letting high-risk gamblers funnel billions through its casinos. As financial watchdog AUSTRAC seeks $400 million in penalties against The Star in the Federal Court, the company has cried poor saying that an amount this large would push it into administration. Lawyers for the government agency pushed for a hefty fine on Tuesday, saying the casino operator and others in the industry should be deterred from similarly lax controls on potentially dirty money. "The sting must be there in the penalty, it must maintain its deterrent effect," barrister Joanne Shepard said, as a hearing continued. The Star has pointed to recent financial struggles, arguing it was only able to pay a fine of $100 million. In contrast, Crown agreed to pay a $450 million fine in May 2024 for similar money-laundering breaches. This amount was a "benchmark" which could be used to determine how much The Star could pay, AUSTRAC barrister Simon White SC argued. "The conduct in this case is measurably worse than that in Crown," he said. The Star's breaches were deliberate, he argued, in contrast to Crown. Management at The Star continued to engage with high-risk gamblers without proper controls and risk assessments in place despite clear findings revealed in a public inquiry into Crown, Mr White said. About $138 billion in cash turnover had come in solely through junkets with an additional $20 billion sourced from high-risk customers, Mr White said. "$138 billion just from junkets coming through the casino environment is potentially catastrophic in so many ways Your Honour," he told Justice Cameron Moore. The business had benefited from the breaches bringing in almost $1.3 billion in revenue through junkets at its Sydney and Queensland casinos and at least $1.33 billion more through high-risk gamblers. Additionally, very significant volumes of high-risk cash were pushed through its slot machines, the court was told. While a projected $343 million was expected to be paid to make The Star's anti-money laundering systems compliant, this should have been an expense made years ago, Mr White said. And without the proper measures in place, the casino had an unfair competitive advantage over its rivals, he noted. Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Shepard argued against The Star's claims of financial distress. She pointed out that a "white knight" had recently emerged with US gaming giant Bally's Corporation promising to inject $300 million into the firm. The casino could raise further capital, look into debt refinancing or dip into almost $60 million set aside from the sale of its Treasury Brisbane business, she told Justice Moore. In the 2017, 2018 and 2019 financial years, The Star had brought in $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion in annual revenue, Ms Shepard said. In the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the firm's revenue never dipped below $1.5 billion, she added. An independent expert report released in May valued The Star between $1.17 billion and $1.38 billion with liabilities of about $490 million, the court was told. The hearing continues. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
