Despite the inherent toxicity and common misinformation present on social media, I do consume a number of local pages to obtain information on our city. This is especially necessary because of the lack of other media sources in our immediate area, but that is a topic for another day.
A couple of those pages include regular posts of mugshots and associated charges. They don’t ever have trouble finding content.
But I’ve noticed something recently. Before the new year, only the most egregious charges were listed regularly: DUI, murder, aggravated battery. Sometimes you would see shoplifting and the value of the merchandise stolen.
However, I have noticed a distinct difference since the new year – now, you regularly see charges like failure to appear, failure to pay fines, warrant/fugitive from justice, violating domestic violence orders, etc. Basically, a lot of people are suddenly being arrested for failing to adjudicate previous charges.
So what does that mean? This means that previous offenders are being re-arrested for failing to either go to court, pay fines levied by the judge or are otherwise re-offending. But again, this is only a recent trend – what has happened since the new year?
I sat down with District Attorney Fernando Macias a few weeks ago and he confirmed my assumption – his office is actively pursuing repeat offenders to the fullest extent possible within the existing laws. They are reviewing a massive backlog of cases and seeking to close them, which often means recognizing that conditions of release have been violated and the offender must be found and brought before the judge once again to prompt (potential) rehabilitation for the criminal and justice for their victim. Clearly, the District Attorney’s office is working with law enforcement to hold criminals accountable for their actions and not to simply let the system fail everyone involved.
Additionally, the District Attorney’s office now has nearly 20 prosecutors as compared to the handful that were there when Mr. Macias took office in January. This means the backlog is still a massive elephant to eat, but lots of hungry people have come to the table with forks. And now our police officers aren’t having to act as prosecutor and peace officer, like they were before.
I can’t imagine the frustration of a police officer arresting a criminal, having to try the case before the judge (after multiple, last minute continuances and schedule changes) and then watching as the system simply forgot about the criminal regardless of his subsequent offenses and refusal to face the music for his crimes.
This is a huge step in the right direction for our community. It shows a distinct and apparently renewed concern for our citizens, victims and even the criminals, because few of them can rehabilitate while in the throes of recidivism, especially recidivism driven by a failed system.
I told Mr. Macias that I didn’t vote for him. But so far, I have high hopes for the direction he has already taken the office. This new role just might be his swan song, his enduring legacy, and his most profound service to our community after a lifetime in the judicial spotlight. I look forward to seeing the positive changes in our criminal justice system and to diminish the frustration, as much as possible, with repeat offenders in our community.
And so, I hope I have the chance to vote for District Attorney Macias in the future, as long as he keeps up the good work!
Las Cruces voters last year rejected the incumbent prosecutor for, at best, stagnation within the office. I can only hope that voters are paying equal attention to other elected offices throughout the community, and make similar, common-sense change this November and beyond.
Shawna Pfeiffer is a guest columnist, a life-long Doña Ana County resident, graduate of NMSU, small business owner, hobby farmer, dog-lover, outdoor enthusiast and mother to two young children. She can be reached at srpfeiffer1@gmail.com.
