New Hampshire’s judicial branch has started analyzing ways to improve its pretrial justice system.
Officials said Monday they’re participating in 3DaysCount, a national campaign to resolve challenges in the courts that have historically discriminated against poor and working-class people.
Tina Nadeau, chief justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court, said the judiciary will start the process of evaluating current practices regarding money bail and pretrial justice.
The campaign is sponsored by the Pretrial Justice Institute. CEO Cherise Fanno Burdeen said across the nation, too many people who haven’t been convicted of crimes are sleeping in jails because they can’t afford their freedom.
Officials said they’ll look at ways the system could better address challenges posed by the opioid crisis. That could include giving courts more options for responding to people facing drug charges, such as diversion to treatment or services.