U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez Announces Commencement of the District of New Mexico’s First Federal Reentry Court

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico Alexander M.M. Uballez, Federal Public Defender Margaret A. Katze, and Chief Probation Officer Ron Travers, announced today the commencement of the District of New Mexico’s first federal reentry court. Reentry through Integrated Opportunities, or RIO, is an intensive 52-week program for individuals returning to the Albuquerque community from federal prison.

Over the past nine months, a working group consisting of the Chief United States District Court Judge, a United States Magistrate Judge, the United States Attorney, the Federal Public Defender, the Chief Probation Officer, and representatives from each office and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs researched, developed, and proposed a unique reentry court for New Mexico. The final plan, approved by the United States District Court Judges in July 2023, will support a pilot group of participants identified as most at risk for violating the terms of their supervised release or committing new crimes. The inaugural cohort of eight voluntary participants met yesterday for their first hearing in federal court in front of Chief United States District Court Judge William P. Johnson.

Those participants will continue to meet, as a group, with the Reentry Court Judge every other week to discuss all aspects of their supervision. This intense oversight is augmented by focused resources from the U.S. Probation & Pretrial Office as well as treatment providers and social services that will provide accountability, support, and bridge the needs of participants. The Reentry Court Judge will have the authority to levy sanctions for noncompliance. Those who successfully complete the 52-week program will receive a recommendation to the sentencing judge for a reduced term of supervision.

Collaboration is at the heart of this program. Before each hearing, the reentry court team will convene and review the individual progress of each participant and assess noncompliance or other needs inhibiting success. Treatment providers, community partners and stakeholders will aid participants in areas of employment, housing, education, treatment, veteran’s resources, and any other medical or governmental assistance programs. The goals of this non-adversarial process are to ensure compliance, identify resources, and provide a highly structured support system that will ensure the safety and success of the participants and, therefore, the safety of the community.

“Justice, often invoked through retribution, is perfected in redemption,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “No matter what wrong landed a person in federal prison, once they have paid their debt to society, they return to be our neighbors. In that, their success on supervised release and their ability to live a life free from crime is directly tied to the safety of our community. From retribution to redemption, from punishment to promise, we are here to build a better and safer community for all of us.”

The reentry court team will review the program annually for effectiveness and statistical data will be collected and published by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. RIO is modeled after and in collaboration with problem-solving Courts and programs implemented in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Tennessee, the Western District of Oklahoma, and the District of Utah.

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