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Hazing scandals at high schools and colleges across New Mexico have led to canceled seasons, firings of coaches, and even criminal charges. Despite these developments, New Mexico remains one of only six states in the U.S. without an anti-hazing law.Now, the New Mexico Department of Justice has released a report with 35 recommendations aimed at preventing hazing and addressing its toxic culture.Hazing scandals at NMSU and beyondThe issue of hazing took center stage earlier this year with allegations of abuse within New Mexico State Universitys mens basketball program. Players came forward with claims of physical and sexual misconduct by teammates during the 20222023 season, leading to the programs cancellation.Attorney General Raul Torrez charged three players with multiple counts of criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual conduct, and false imprisonment: Kim Aiken Jr., Doctor Bradley, and Deshawndre Washington.Bradley and Aiken Jr. reached plea agreements and are expected to testify against Washington, whose trial is set for February.A Target 7 Special Investigation, “Hazed, Fear and Failure,” revealed how NMSU was recruiting felons, how attempts to pass anti-hazing legislation recently failed, and that no college in the state had an anti-hazing hotline.I think that our conclusive finding is that there was a toxic locker room culture as a result of the players that were on that team, said NMDOJ special counsel Sean Sullivan, who conducted the review. There werent systems in place throughout the university to really capture when those things were happening, identify them, and then once identified, properly address them.DOJ recommendationsThe DOJs 70-page report includes recommendations for addressing hazing, including: State legislation: Creating a new anti-hazing law for New Mexico. Prevention funding: Allocating resources for training and outreach. Recruitment reform: Prohibiting the recruitment of individuals with felony convictions. Victim reporting: Establishing better reporting mechanisms, such as hotlines and independent oversight.Sullivan noted that these measures are critical to preventing future incidents like those at NMSU. All schools across the state can look to these recommendations and ask, Do we have what we need to stop hazing? he said.Legislative efforts stalledTarget 7 previously reported on failed legislative efforts to pass anti-hazing laws in New Mexico. In 2024 alone, three bipartisan bills were introduced but ultimately failed.With the upcoming legislative session starting Jan. 21, the DOJ is working with lawmakers to draft a new bill that incorporates its recommendations.Impact beyond collegesHazing allegations have not been limited to universities. Santa Fe High Schools football program faced allegations this year, leading to the suspension of players and the resignation of the head coach.Sullivan emphasized the need for all institutions to take hazing seriously. If not exposed, hazing can occur in the shadows of a locker room, he said.Whats next?The DOJ plans to release specifics of its proposed anti-hazing bill in the coming weeks. In the meantime, schools and institutions across the state are being urged to adopt proactive measures outlined in the DOJs report.