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Corrections Department

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Precautions NMCD is taking in response to the virus

  • All in-person inmate visitation has been suspended until further notice .
  • Each staff member is being medically screened before they begin their shift at every facility.
  • Inmate’s weekly hygienic supply has been doubled at every facility.
  • Inter-facility transfers are limited to need-based only.
  • Volunteer access has been suspended until further notice.
  • Phone call access has been increased in all facilities and inmates are being given one no cost call per week.
  • All inmates are being provided with additional materials to communicate with family by mail.
  • Outside work details were suspended.
  • Interstate compact transfers-in are temporarily suspended.
  • Family events, volunteer activities, inmate clubs, and banquets are postponed until further notice.
  • In an effort to maintain meaningful activity for our inmate population, education and behavioral health services and classes will be unaffected.
  • All Parole Board Hearings are being conducted via video conference.
  • All admissions from jails and courts are being redirected to the New Mexico Corrections Department’s Reception and Diagnostic Centers at Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas for male inmates and to the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants for female inmates.
  • Each facility will be medically screening inmates upon arrival.
  • Probation and Parole offices are exploring alternate methods of offender supervision.
  • Officers remain committed to supervising offenders that present public safety risks to our communities.
  • Necessities including medical services, behavioral health services, access to religious supplies and staff chaplains, food service and recreation are unaffected.
  • Wardens and deputy wardens at all facilities conducted town hall meetings with inmates on March 12, 2020 to prepare them for changes to visitation procedures. Since that time, they have been continuing to walk facilities to keep everyone informed about changes within facilities.
  • Leadership in all facilities and region offices have been walking offices and facilities talking with staff, and conducting town halls and meetings with staff. They will be including union leadership in these meetings and will be present at shift changes to provide you with updates and make themselves available for questions.
  • Facility and field managers have placed signage regarding proper hand washing, hygiene, information regarding COVID-19 symptoms, and numbers to contact the Department of Health throughout facilities and offices
  • Our agency Public Information Officer has been sending weekly updates to NMCD staff.
  • Bi-weekly video conferences with facility and field leadership and union representatives continue to take place.
  • As a public safety agency we are trained in emergency response procedures. We are taking safety precautions involving sanitation procedures and we have procedures in place to respond if anyone in our facilities presents with symptoms. We are prepared to implement medical separation.
  • Corrections Industries has provided each member of our staff and our entire inmate population with reusable cloth masks.
  • Video visitation has been implemented at our state facilities and is available to all approved visitors and eligible inmates at no cost. For information on setting up a video visit, please contact your loved one’s facility directly.
  • All new intakes are quarantined for 14 days and immediately tested for COVID-19
  • NMCD and DOH will be testing 5% of facility staff for COVID-19 every week at each of the 11 prison facilities for the foreseeable future
  • NMCD and DOH will continue satellite testing of the inmate population to include high risk individuals and new intakes