[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6387782,"mediaKeyId","2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180","parentId",2115788,"title","Coalition urges lawmakers to rely on crisis centers, SANE nurses and coordinated response for domestic and sexual violence and trafficking","audioSeconds",275,"startMs",6467000,"endMs",6742000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180&start=6467&end=6742","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180/thumbnail_6467000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6387782/New-Hampshire/Coalition-urges-lawmakers-to-rely-on-crisis-centers-SANE-nurses-and-coordinated-response-for-domestic-and-sexual-violence-and-trafficking","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387782-284b6696423c2b68a6994f349133546a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437718&Signature=ANxnidmSnRYZGXlFi2USTPMwZD20XxxrIKuFJ--34067pipyaMxpTSGmBJvUnI4BhNQjDSVm3f09lKw~96NaRbUYC7vc-2JpYhXedtGv26S5tDAKXEMF9rrA-Au1pDR0A~PBKcGzzWEvzRcw7QyhuaQNXRvjfK9dsZKVcT-9rgVnDpPxJHFZJLwHoNhIvhl4pXiZ1PiO36BT8cVQM2TKwPcrGYjQSIOCmgug41gekjN0joto1h00PnPmTmLneyLw58t1kZjUnVdvKOgR0TVFUceuTZloT499xVG74lbFptWcgi6miLxhYjY12pmrD~BIVLGFrBrEsfP9j9TG3LoEwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","NH House of Representatives Committee","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","Representatives of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence told the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee that the coalition’s network of 12 member programs operates crisis centers, emergency shelters and a statewide human trafficking collaborative and can assist the legislature in vetting policies for implementation impacts.

Amanda Grady Sexton, the coalition’s director of public affairs, and Pamela Kielig, the coalition’s public policy specialist, described their member programs’ services: confidential advocacy, emergency shelter (about 11 shelters providing roughly 400 shelter stays annually), hospital accompaniment and sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) services, legal accompaniment, safety planning, housing and economic assistance and prevention education. The coalition said its members serve about 15,000 victims annually across the state and provide victim advocacy and community referrals in urban and rural communities.

Kielig asked the committee to consider implementation implications when drafting policy, noting the coalition vets bills with partner stakeholders (health care, law enforcement, legal services, and survivors) to ensure laws work in practice for victims and service providers. The coalition highlighted the statewide human trafficking collaborative that coordinates investigators, prosecutors and victim service providers and urged legislators to consult that group on trafficking responses.

Speakers offered to supply materials the committee can use (a policy brief on human trafficking and a brief on the lifetime cost of trauma) and said coalition staff will be available daily during the session to answer questions or provide technical assistance.

No votes or formal actions were recorded; coalition staff volunteered to provide follow‑up information and to serve as implementation resources for legislators.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (01/15/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence briefed the committee on statewide crisis centers, emergency shelters, the SANE nurse program, and the state human trafficking collaborative; coalition staff urged heavy vetting of bills for implementation effects and offered to serve as a resource.","taxTitle","Criminal Justice and Public Safety, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17744,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387787,"Sheriffs, county attorneys and chiefs urge legislators to consult law enforcement on bills; cite body‑cam costs and shared responsibilities",239,4058000,4297000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180&start=4058&end=4297","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180/thumbnail_4058000.jpg","/articles/6387787/New-Hampshire/Sheriffs-county-attorneys-and-chiefs-urge-legislators-to-consult-law-enforcement-on-bills-cite-bodycam-costs-and-shared-responsibilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387787-1818def98a0792587a3d711bed25fc1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437718&Signature=LHYmsWyqbbsikIN93cGwmC4xDrEO~9yGSFS-xPcBPAFSZ9NCnjjHTibFgtyPWed24wampE5opdkEX7vtEOkAWN5kmEdE0v1tVgJsLzYN1rIGYMuS6KyqMBWLyEElmDriu5Aqj4P-Z~5WnA3~mNbTY~AG9iT6wOrhPwGUEc~YzzuiASLWvbnEUDmMtpFtn43DtG0xcz7vKKtKcfUxR1BvMwKJmJ9iOK2TmmK30yLSPE6uPm4W1ZUIXLxKxgOLTjG0m5BiqKMNMkIPF67rOafWnBM5B9ifhfnXitIxU3Nj5Xlej~HofnMGmMotqVWmTovPoUkM~lNx5prrLbP-1VLGbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County prosecutors, elected sheriffs and police chiefs told the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee that legislators should consult local law‑enforcement stakeholders early in the drafting process because proposed statutory language can have unanticipated operational impacts.

Steven Endress, appearing for Merrimack County, summarized county attorneys’ role prosecuting felonies for counties and, where contracted, misdemeanor prosecution for smaller towns. He said county attorney offices also handle complex case elements such as competency proceedings and involuntary civil‐commitment follow‑ups that arise within criminal cases.

Sheriff Bill Wright, president of the New Hampshire Sheriffs Association, asked legislators to include sheriffs in pre‑draft conversations and said sheriffs meet monthly to coordinate responses to legislation and operational issues. Wright pointed the committee to RSA 104 as the statutory core for sheriff duties and urged members to contact association leadership before advancing proposals that may affect sheriff responsibilities.

Chief Tim Crowley, president of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, described the association’s roughly 165 active members across departments and urged continued investment in recruitment, training and best practices to maintain New Hampshire’s high policing standards. Crowley and other chiefs said departments of all sizes face similar challenges but at differing volumes.

On body‑worn cameras, Crowley said adoption is increasing but smaller agencies are hindered by cost — not only for cameras but for video storage and redaction. “Buying the camera is the least of the cost. It’s the storage and the redaction,” he said, noting some jurisdictions must expand prosecutor staffing to handle the added workload of video review and redaction.

Speakers asked the committee to consider grant or assistance programs to help smaller departments with start‑up and ongoing body‑cam costs, and to consult law‑enforcement leaders early on bills touching operations or funding. Presenters agreed to share contact information and to meet with members drafting legislation.

No legislative actions or votes were taken at the session.","Representatives of county attorneys, the New Hampshire Sheriffs Association and the Association of Chiefs of Police briefed the committee on prosecution responsibilities, interagency coordination and barriers for smaller departments to adopt body‑worn cameras.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387792,"Corrections commissioner outlines reentry, treatment programs, costs and facility planning",982,2218000,3200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180&start=2218&end=3200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180/thumbnail_2218000.jpg","/articles/6387792/New-Hampshire/Corrections-commissioner-outlines-reentry-treatment-programs-costs-and-facility-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387792-54aa51300f0f59e9dc923334b728269d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437718&Signature=H3FGNp1YPIJcz2OFNn6b2B7WdXgL9N0RoSdEpN4logL8L5cijYqqwf2F7uzQsuQSVyS-veSPgOHQ8G~HjdYjYR9f-s2o33PuJxaXi27mIsz1AtnmsLe6~oOTClvGYcRMM2HBA5IrhjWJSGAujClF1GSa9Z7l9DdV1m0ITDpKRZy8Znsa6mxUKbYM-BklHSsnyacqAKJgd2nH0kkak2ZsIwe4Z~XJCztW~1EPkmS5~qmV5uXhlgyJTNSxE6MaaAWKaUNrilrxlqHTeMQAuR0zZpdrXzbrM5Kfzn4hbR-oUHI3SDdrYy3A76iSAzWHP12hZRSph0X3nreVrrytOskq-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Corrections Commissioner Helen Hanks briefed the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on prison population trends, treatment and reentry efforts, staffing levels and capital planning.

Hanks said the department continues to manage a population with a rising proportion of longer sentence structures, including a sizable share incarcerated for serious assaults. She reported about 45% of incarcerated people have an opioid use disorder (about 800 people), and that roughly 80% of those individuals have elected to participate in medication‑assisted treatment while incarcerated.

The department described expanded reentry supports: it received approval for a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 1115 reentry waiver that allows two provider and two peer contacts and coverage for 30 days of discharge medications beginning 45 days prior to release for Medicaid‑eligible people. Hanks said the waiver and stronger connections to Medicaid post‑release will improve continuity of care and, she believes, reduce returns to custody.

Commissioner Hanks gave staffing and cost figures: average daily health care cost was cited at approximately $452 per person; the department reported a high overtime bill (about $27 million) and said correction officer vacancies have fallen from a prior high (about 189 vacancies) to nearer 162 as recruitment and compensation changes took effect. She described ongoing recruitment and retention efforts and volunteer ambassador programs for recruitment.

On recidivism and supervision, Hanks said the department monitors returns to custody and that parole‑related returns occupy a disproportionate share of beds; she reported roughly 300 people on the department’s caseload are in fugitive status. Hanks said the adult parole board’s revocations often stem from returning to criminal behavior, substance‑use relapses and noncompliance with treatment plans and that improving prerelease treatment connections is central to lowering returns to custody.

Corrections also described extensive education and reentry programming inside facilities: certified high‑school programs, career and technical education (including cosmetology and barbering programs), partnerships with community colleges under Second Chance Pell pilots, therapeutic housing units and case management teams that begin planning at intake and work toward parole and reentry goals.

Hanks described facility planning and capital funding: the first $10 million tranche for replacing the State Prison for Men is in contract and geological analysis is underway; the department expects to issue an RFP for an additional authorized $40 million.

Committee members asked about aging incarcerated populations and medical costs; Hanks said health‑care costs rise beginning in the 51+ age cohort and that the department can provide further breakdowns on age and life‑term sentences. The department offered to provide more detailed data on caseload ratios, average costs by age and the impact of educational and treatment programs on recidivism.

No formal committee votes were taken; the department offered facility tours and follow‑up data.","The Department of Corrections presented data on the incarcerated population, treatment and reentry initiatives (including a CMS 1115 reentry waiver), staffing challenges, health‑care costs and plans for a replacement prison project funded in tranches.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387797,"Public defenders and judiciary warn of indigent defense staffing crisis, arraignment and caseload strains",3455,1210000,4665000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180&start=1210&end=4665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180/thumbnail_1210000.jpg","/articles/6387797/New-Hampshire/Public-defenders-and-judiciary-warn-of-indigent-defense-staffing-crisis-arraignment-and-caseload-strains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387797-d064de2832c1ba130e30b9233e06169f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437718&Signature=eIr~0vRgf38hawmOBLplBlCWqwNJjQossYPAUxRQo7cj7hezpvcXv9Krya~Pui4dhfy8V8j~U5hqfg62UsyIqJF4U6guFQShMxmQMaavYae0ncp6ILD2sT5GYbaowPWIZOc1HCNOnJnBREEg4-ObPq3Ras09f2qd8ouMzqXON9sMMUTChvWN-6E8ABbpua~sTQsP9YlgrfANTcXXihTtqVApJXk2v1rEFIdbiFCufxI9FPBI0zzBuYJvk5uvdIF4ju9EciJuNvcmfdXM9NvnZrWPeiqIZS7gMr3uLxaac9PkhIGFW2UVZJxpCIx5rOamuuHk5G1pMvC3K6mez~7i4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State judicial leaders and the New Hampshire Public Defenders told the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee that public defense services are under sustained strain, producing constitutionally significant gaps in counsel and serious workload pressures.

“Since 2010, [the Public Defender’s Office] has had a 262 percent increase in its retention, dropping in retention,” the chief justice said while describing growing caseload complexity driven in part by electronic evidence. The chief justice also cited a Judicial Council report and said a March 2024 Legal Briefing Association (LBA) finding showed that between 20 and 40 incarcerated defendants lacked attorneys and between about 100 and 125 non‑incarcerated defendants lacked counsel at that snapshot.

Suzanne Ketteridge, interim executive director of the New Hampshire Public Defenders (NHPD), said the agency handled 21,322 criminal cases in 2023 with roughly 140 attorneys on a “good day,” and called caseloads “crushing.” She said average caseloads are “running close to a 100,” making the work unsustainable and prompting mitigation efforts including recruiting lateral attorneys, partnering with the UNH School of Law clinical program and seeking administrative relief on practice rules for supervised third‑year law students.

Ketteridge outlined mitigation steps the NHPD is pursuing: hiring experienced lateral attorneys (including outreach beyond state lines), expanded use of law school clinics for supervised student representation, continued collaboration with contract and assigned counsel panels, and exploring rule changes that would allow supervised law students or temporarily admitted laterals to increase capacity. She noted pay and retention issues, and that many young attorneys are burning out after heavy caseloads.

Committee members pressed the judiciary and NHPD on arraignment coverage. Ketteridge said arraignments are a current operational pinch point, particularly for incarcerated misdemeanor defendants for whom counsel is constitutionally required. The chief justice described a volunteer surge from large firms that has helped but said volunteer and pro bono efforts are not a statutory mandate and cannot fully substitute for system capacity.

The attorney general’s office and county prosecutors described their roles in felony prosecution and coordination with local prosecutors; they were identified by presenters as potential partners in addressing systemic workload and case‑management challenges.

Both judiciary and defenders flagged electronic discovery and proliferation of body‑worn and surveillance video as major drivers of complexity, requiring more forensic review time per case. The chief justice said the judicial branch and big law firms have tried to help “step up” through volunteer programs, and the legislature’s 2024 authorization to allow paraprofessionals in limited circuit court matters was described as a helpful development for civil filings.

Committee members were urged to consider targeted funding and policy changes to stabilize defender pay and staffing, expand clinical representation, and improve arraignment coverage; presenters volunteered to provide follow‑up data on pay scales, vacancy rates and the potential impacts of magistrate rule changes on arraignments.

No committee action was taken at the hearing; presenters offered to provide additional data and to meet with members considering legislation affecting indigent defense.","Judicial leaders and the New Hampshire Public Defenders described severe staffing and caseload pressures in indigent defense, gaps at arraignment, and mitigation steps including pro bono recruitment, clinical student clinics and proposed rule changes.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387802,"Judiciary presents court structure, magistrates rollout and security priorities to Criminal Justice Committee",959,533000,1492000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180&start=533&end=1492","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115788-e50049d27efacca2952555e08cd82180/thumbnail_533000.jpg","/articles/6387802/New-Hampshire/Judiciary-presents-court-structure-magistrates-rollout-and-security-priorities-to-Criminal-Justice-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387802-5c1bbec88719d2b66745333ab0200967/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437718&Signature=P1W0KuFAVYxDBZ6JNjIiyp5pL1UG1kowXDer3hjqpcfdXtrct2hl841kI78-Q48cFT354owKwAaJcoNuWJO1~S4vC~dGRJOSjpkMNnkwr7Uf~M9PNr2Pd4QhjMI1DwvQCkREMgbjPXCVX5O5ROgYFCWJ0Nu06HMR14x~6CrsZTe9B4qqQC-JLEjwE0X5PFf-Cbb1sYt4H3Ry-b4uEtVBrFBKfVd07WzaLTD1syMIk03CSfCvsp40LaXNZHxlZbxuiojqpJJOSp3Kp5QqGYnEcMGSsRqPRXpXacqDsw3rgiqUeB-2XuUh9YO9ekM4ijRbuRdpjtka030yx00zGDLAkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The chief justice and senior judicial staff gave the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee an overview of New Hampshire’s judicial branch, its caseloads and near‑term operational priorities.

The presentation described the judicial structure — two trial courts (circuit and superior), a single appellate court and an Administrative Office of the Courts that supports judges and staff across the state — and how recent changes have reshaped where cases are heard. “We have 2 trial courts, the circuit court and the superior court. We have 1 appellate court which is the supreme court, and all 3 courts are supported by the administrative office of the courts,” the chief justice said.

The committee was given 2023 caseload figures showing approximately 102,000 matters in the trial courts that year, including roughly 45,000 criminal cases handled in the circuit court (primarily misdemeanors) and about 87,100 criminal matters in the superior court (including felonies). The judicial presentation noted that those circuit court numbers will change as the state implements a “felonies‑first” case processing policy that shifts some filings to the superior court.

The judiciary also described the 2011 creation of the unified circuit court (which combined district, probate and family divisions), the number and distribution of judgeships (the circuit court is authorized for 49 full‑time judges plus part‑time, per diem and senior judicial officers; the superior court is authorized for 22 associate justices and one chief justice) and the Supreme Court’s role overseeing attorney discipline and bar admissions in New Hampshire’s unified bar system.

The branch announced a new magistrate program that added three magistrates who began service Jan. 1 and began weekend duty immediately; their assigned duties were created by administrative order of the Supreme Court and include weekend coverage to handle matters the magistrates are authorized to address. The chief justice said the magistrates were trained by sitting judges and are alternating weekend coverage slots while integrating into weekday courtroom duties.

Court leaders identified safety and security as their top operational concern. The chief justice said courthouse safety “is the issue that keeps me up at night more than any other,” noting the branch is undertaking site‑by‑site physical security assessments funded in part by ARPA dollars the governor’s office made available. The presentation described court security officers employed by the judicial branch and a partnership with county sheriffs that provides security in superior courts.

Judicial staff also highlighted several modernization efforts: an electronic evidence presentation platform moving forward in superior court, broader use of text reminders and automated notices to reduce failures to appear, and a record‑high number of appellate dispositions for 2024 (752 dispositions and 71 opinions issued). The administrative office’s communications and legal support functions were identified as the operational backbone for these initiatives.

Committee members were offered judicial contacts for follow‑up questions and told the judiciary stands ready to assist legislators drafting bills that could affect court operations.

Looking ahead, the judiciary emphasized courthouse security assessments, continuing rollout of electronic evidence protocols and monitoring the magistrate program’s effects on weekend and misdemeanor workflows.

The presentation materials the judiciary circulated were left with committee members for further review.","State judicial leaders briefed the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on court structure, case volumes, the new magistrate program, courthouse safety work using ARPA funds and recent gains in appellate productivity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Coalition urges lawmakers to rely on crisis centers, SANE nurses and coordinated response for domestic and sexual violence and trafficking

Sheriffs, county attorneys and chiefs urge legislators to consult law enforcement on bills; cite body‑cam costs and shared responsibilities

Corrections commissioner outlines reentry, treatment programs, costs and facility planning

Public defenders and judiciary warn of indigent defense staffing crisis, arraignment and caseload strains

Judiciary presents court structure, magistrates rollout and security priorities to Criminal Justice Committee