Social programs of the Great Society were aimed at utilizing relief and social programs to prevent crime. The Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 1965 changed the emphasis from creating jobs as a tool to prevent crime to funneling federal funds to support increased policing. This legislation laid the foundation for high incarceration rates for African Americans and people of color. This trend was further intensified by the establishment of mandatory sentencing laws in the 1980s. This panel will discuss these laws as they pertain to New Hampshire’s criminal justice system. We will explore such questions: Why doesn’t New Hampshire collect data that shows whether racial profiling is an issue here? What does implicit bias training look like in New Hampshire and is it adequate? And what are the key issues that New Hampshire’s law enforcement officials say impair their ability to serve the public?
Presenters:
John Scippio (To Be Confirmed), Director, New Hampshire Police Standards and Training
Rochelle Jones , Community Outreach Coordinator, Portsmouth Police Department
Hon. Talesha Saint-Marc (To Be Confirmed), Federal Magistrate Judge, NH
Moderator:
Julian Jefferson, Clinical Assistant Professor, Franklin Pierce College of Law, University of NH