ACLU-NH's Lost Labor Report

As part of its continued commitment to criminal justice reform, the ACLU-NH released a report titled Lost Labor: the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record and Their Impact on New Hampshire’s Workforce. The report discusses the many barriers that people with a criminal record encounter and that can prevent successful re-entry, with an emphasis on barriers to reliable employment. The report includes the stories of Granite Staters who have struggled to overcome the stigma and collateral consequences of having a record, even years after completing their sentence. As part of New Hampshire’s efforts to overcome the opioid epidemic and the workforce shortage, the report recommends the adoption of fair chance hiring and similar reforms for occupational licensing.  

This report builds on the ACLU-NH's recent work in helping to pass debtors' prison reform and comprehensive bail reform. Part of criminal justice reform is ensuring that Granite Staters are able to sccessfully re-enter their communities after the completion of their sentence. As the report discusses, access to employment is critical to reducing recidivism. The ACLU-NH looks forward to working with legislators, partners, and impacted communities to reduce the barriers to successful re-entry.