Inmates behind bars for certain drunken driving and child abuse convictions would have to spend more time in prison under a new legislative proposal.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Rep. Zachary Cook, R-Ruidoso, has introduced a bill to slash good-time credits for inmates convicted of vehicular homicide involving DWI and charges of child abuse resulting in death or great bodily harm.
On average, New Mexico inmates earning good time credits earn a month of good time for every month served, effectively cutting their sentences in half. But under Cook's bill the severe child abuse and drunken driving convictions that involved a death would be classified as "serious violent offenses," meaning the inmates would have to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.