CONCORD, N.H.- Six-months in and state officials say the new bail reform law is working noting that a greater number of offenders are being detained prior to trial.
On Tuesday state officials and members of law enforcement attended a press conference marking the six-month anniversary of the bill that that lowers the burden of proof that prosecutors have to show to convince a judge that an offender is dangerous enough to be detained prior to trial.
Speaking of how the law has benefited their community, Nashua’s Police Chief Kevin Rourke said the changes have protected the more vulnerable residents in his city.
Attorney General John Formella noted that by late May or beginning of June the state will have a bail notification system online which will allow law enforcement officials to see the bail status of anyone arrested in real time.
Formella also said that he fells the murder of Marisol Fuentes, a waitress in Berlin who was shot by her estranged husband, Michael Gleason this past July may have been avoided had this law been in place. However, Formella also said it’s still too early to know if these changes will have a direct impact on the state’s crime rate, but both he and Governor Kelly Ayotte said the law should act as a deterrent.
