According to law enforcement, some juveniles and their peers boast on social media and in jail calls about avoiding consequences for serious crimes, indicating a lack of fear of the current system. 

Juvenile crime has grown over the last five years, and now lawmakers are looking at what trends and changes need to take place to tackle the problem. Legislative Finance Committee presenters said the majority of crimes committed by juveniles have been violent offenses like battery.

It’s an issue that New Mexico state senators and representatives are all too familiar with: juvenile crime.

"If you're a kid 15 years of age and you commit vehicular homicide or voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter, someone dies. Leaving the scene of an accident with great bodily harm, someone's tremendously hurt. Under the current juvenile code, the most you're going to face as far as a penalty is the same as if you had shoplifted a pack of bubblegum," said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.