Let’s address crime, return NM to past glory

WHAT’S HAPPENING to the state I have made my home? As the years have passed, New Mexico, my home, is progressively deteriorating year by year and taking on the “color of the cage” of everything bad that is progressively happening in many nations south of our border with Mexico.

The Journal tells us, repeatedly, of the progressive decline of New Mexico and the dismal failure of our justice system. The 71 homicides this year, most in recent history, and the room filled with a huge backlogs of pending cases to be tried in our courts is shameful.

There is a Dec. 1 article in the Albuquerque Journal, section “C2”, that informs us that, incredibly, so far in 2017 there have been 51 bank robberies in New Mexico this year, with 42 of them in Albuquerque. I could go on with many other problems in our state, education etc., but you get the picture.

Tim Keller, our new mayor, says that he will address the problem. The various crime waves that are engulfing our great state at this time are increasing at warp speed, and the answer has always been promises and more promises with practically nothing to solve this criminal takeover of our state.

We have a new police chief coming on board, but unless he is bringing a magic wand with him, his task may be futile unless our criminal justice system begins to work as it should and brings all those violating the law to quick justice in our overburdened court systems. Let us back him and the newly elected mayor 150 percent and make our state proud as it has been in the past. FORREST GREEN Albuquerque