Smart Justice
We work to reform the criminal justice system and make the promise of fair treatment a reality for all people. Especially in the face of economic crisis, our government should invest in alternatives to incarceration and make prisons options of last – not first – resort.
What you need to know
3,278
At least 3,278 people in the U.S. were serving life sentences without parole for drug, property, and other nonviolent crimes in 2012.
2.3 million
2.3 million people are incarcerated in the U.S.—triple the number in 1987.
$80 billion
The U.S. spends over $80 billion on incarceration each year.
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire is committed to helping the Granite State re-envision a criminal legal system that is fair and free of racial bias, keeps our communities safe, and respects the rights of all who come into contact with it. Our Campaign for Smart Justice is led by formerly incarcerated individuals, families impacted by mass incarceration, community organizers, and attorneys, who together work in our courts, in our neighborhoods, and in the halls of the State House to ensure New Hampshire invests in people—not prisons.
From policing policies to prison practices, the ACLU of New Hampshire seeks to reverse the tide of mass incarceration, protect constitutional rights, eliminate racial disparities, and increase government transparency and accountability to make our justice system more fair and equal.
The ACLU of New Hampshire has been at the forefront of the successful efforts to repeal the death penalty in the Granite State, the implementation of bail reform, and continues to fight for police transparency and accountability in court.
Through advocacy and litigation, the ACLU of New Hampshire’s Campaign for Smart Justice is dedicated to continuing to challenge unconstitutional laws and policies, fight for police reform, and forge a new path for equality under the law.
The Latest
ACLU-NH condemns passage of ineffective, unjust, and expensive “mandatory minimum” bill
ACLU-NH Statement on Bail Rollback Bill
ACLU-NH Statement on Bail Reform Passage in NH House
ACLU-NH denounces Gov. Ayotte calling bail reform system a “failed social experiment”
Cases, Campaigns & Legislation
Y.F. et al. v. NH Department of Corrections
Take Action
Today, years of hard-fought civil liberty protections are under threat.
To influence lawmakers, we need everyone to get involved. Here is 1 action you can take today.
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