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Legislature: Prisons Need Repairs

Ken Piorkowski via Wikimedia Commons

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A new legislative report says New Mexico's state-run prison system has a $277 million backlog of needed infrastructure repairs.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Legislative Finance Committee report released Thursday says prisons have holes in cell walls and floors, and flawed electrical, plumbing and sewer systems. The report says some of the problems could pose security threats to both inmates and correctional officers.

Limited state dollars and aging facilities are to blame.

The report recommended the construction of new housing units for inmates within the current prisons.

Corrections Department spokeswoman Alex Tomlin says the agency does not dispute most of the report's findings.

Corrections Secretary Gregg Marcantel says the department is creating a master plan looking at prison design issues and halfway houses or other alternative living arrangements.

 

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