New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has summoned lawmakers back to the state Capitol this month for a legislative session focused on public safety.

New Mexico has one of the highest firearm death rates in the nation. According to a survey by SafeWise.com, state respondents have expressed significant concern and experience with crime.

Rebecca Edwards, lead safety and tech reporter for SafeWise.com stated that over a third of New Mexicans have enhanced their security measures in the past year.

"People who feel downtrodden, lack opportunities, and struggle to make ends meet often lose hope and become more desperate to protect themselves," Edwards explained. "Nationwide, those at the bottom see no way out."

A spokesperson for the governor mentioned that she would also request lawmakers to increase penalties for felons found with firearms. The special session, beginning July 18, will be the fifth since Lujan Grisham took office six years ago.

Edwards emphasized that discussions on public safety usually revolve around crime protection, but she believes traditional methods often fail in the long term.

"It feels good to say we're going to allocate more funds to the police and hire more officers, but what is the ultimate goal?" Edwards questioned. "Will officers be trained in specialized areas? What will the focus on de-escalation and nonlethal responses be?"

Earlier this year, the Albuquerque Police Department released preliminary 2023 statistics indicating an increase in property and societal crimes.

Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber noted that while Santa Fe's crime rates are lower, all public officials are striving to maintain safety in their communities.

"Sometimes it's about gun and gun violence," Webber observed. "I think we should also focus on providing mental health services to people in public spaces who need them."