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Inmate Work Camp

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Inmate Work Camp

The Inmate Work Camp Program began in 1996 as a joint effort with the New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD). The primary goal is to perform natural resource work and wildland fire suppression on state and private lands, which could not ordinarily be accomplished with current resources.

The IWC program is comprised of approximately four to six crews of 10 to 12 inmates each from the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas. Each crew member is trained in forest health, bosque restoration, conservation, and wildland firefighting. Each year, they work side-by-side with professional firefighters on numerous wildland fires in New Mexico and in other states as needed.

Since its inception, hundreds of Level 1 prison inmates have gone through the program. The low-risk inmates are those convicted of nonviolent crimes and are not sex offenders. They must also have clean jail records to participate in the program.

Many former inmates have gone on to work as wildland firefighters for the Forestry Division after serving their time. Others are working for Forestry cooperators, including federal agencies in New Mexico.

Contact:

Michael Gonzales
IWC Supervisor
michael.m.gonzales@emnrd.nm.gov

Brian Filip
IWC Assistant Supervisor
brian.filip@emnrd.nm.gov

Phone: 505-865-2775
Address:

3201 HWY 314 SW
Los Lunas, NM 87031