Reed Ridens still thinks about how his life could have been different if he had been charged with a felony or tried as an adult after being arrested at age 15.

Ridens grew up in a “very abusive home environment," he said, and struck his father with a weapon after his father held him in a chokehold for hours. His felony charge was dropped to a misdemeanor due to the restorative justice approach of the judge overseeing his case and his father’s forgiveness, he told lawmakers on the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday..

Had that not happened, it would have “seriously altered my future and had adverse ripple effects into my community as well,” Ridens said.

Ridens was among the advocates who this week urged New Mexico lawmakers to support rehabilitation efforts for yo

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