DOC prefers Concord as sight for new womens' prison
CONCORD — Following Governor Maggie Hassan's proposal to construct a prison for women in the coming biennium, Jeff Lyons, spokesman for the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, said yesterday that although no site has been chosen, the former Laconia State School property on North Main Street is "extremely low on the list of prospective sites."
Hassan included $38-million to build a new women's prison in the capital budget proposal she presented to the Legislature last week. "For too long our corrections system has woefully neglected women," she told lawmakers. "It is time, we cannot delay this any longer."
Lyons said that Commissioner William Wrenn would prefer to build the facility in Concord, where the state owns some 1,000 acres in the vicinity of the State Prison for men. He explained that with the two facilities in relative close proximity to one another there would be opportunities to minimize operating costs by sharing resources, services and personnel.
"We are pleased the governor has identified a women's prison as a high priority," Lyons said. "It has been the department's number one priority for the past eight years."
A new women's prison would be the first such facility in the state. From 1881 to 1941 female inmates were housed in the south wing of the state prison. When their numbers grew and space become short, they were sent to the Women's Reformatory in Rutland, Vermont, which closed in 1967, and then to the Massachusetts Correctional Facility in Framingham. Inmates brought suit and in 1987 a federal judge ordered the state to provide a prison for women.
The Laconia State School was among the first sites considered, but ultimately the state leased the vacated county jail in Goffstown as a "temporary" facility in 1989.
Instead, in 1990, despite resistance from Laconia, the state located a minimum security prison, the Lakes Region Facility, on the Laconia State School site. When that facility closed in June, 2009, a commission convened by the Legislature and chaired by then mayor, now City Councilor Matt Lahey to report on the future of the property, surveyed all state departments, including corrections, which responded that they had no use for the property.
Since 2011, the city has sought to acquire the site amid lingering concerns that it could again appear on a list of locations for a women's prison.
Hassan included $38-million to build a new women's prison in the capital budget proposal she presented to the Legislature last week. "For too long our corrections system has woefully neglected women," she told lawmakers. "It is time, we cannot delay this any longer."
Lyons said that Commissioner William Wrenn would prefer to build the facility in Concord, where the state owns some 1,000 acres in the vicinity of the State Prison for men. He explained that with the two facilities in relative close proximity to one another there would be opportunities to minimize operating costs by sharing resources, services and personnel.
"We are pleased the governor has identified a women's prison as a high priority," Lyons said. "It has been the department's number one priority for the past eight years."
A new women's prison would be the first such facility in the state. From 1881 to 1941 female inmates were housed in the south wing of the state prison. When their numbers grew and space become short, they were sent to the Women's Reformatory in Rutland, Vermont, which closed in 1967, and then to the Massachusetts Correctional Facility in Framingham. Inmates brought suit and in 1987 a federal judge ordered the state to provide a prison for women.
The Laconia State School was among the first sites considered, but ultimately the state leased the vacated county jail in Goffstown as a "temporary" facility in 1989.
Instead, in 1990, despite resistance from Laconia, the state located a minimum security prison, the Lakes Region Facility, on the Laconia State School site. When that facility closed in June, 2009, a commission convened by the Legislature and chaired by then mayor, now City Councilor Matt Lahey to report on the future of the property, surveyed all state departments, including corrections, which responded that they had no use for the property.
Since 2011, the city has sought to acquire the site amid lingering concerns that it could again appear on a list of locations for a women's prison.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 03:51
Hits: 285
In Laconia, Shaheen asks support for Violence Against Women Act
Written by Gail Ober
LACONIA — After a tour of the New Beginnings shelter here yesterday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen joined community members for a discussion about domestic violence and to encourage local support for the Violence Against Women Act that just passed by the U.S. Senate.
Shaheen joined state Sen. Andrew Hosmer (D-Laconia), state Reps. Lisa DiMartino (D- Gilford), David Huot (D-Laconia), Beth Arsenault (D-Laconia), Police Chief Chris Adams and Lt. Rich Simmons; members of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, community partners and the staff at the shelter.
"Now the pressure is in the House (of Representatives) to pass the Senate bill and make sure there are no funding interruptions," Shaheen said, noting that over a life time, one in four American women will be victims of sexual or domestic violence.
She encouraged local politicians to support the matching funds in New Hampshire House and Senate needed to secure the federal dollars should VAWA pass the U.S. House and be signed into law by President Obama.
According to New Beginnings Director Kathy Keller, her agency helped 798 individuals in Belknap County in 2012 with 11,954 services that they needed to overcome victimization. She said 105 of the 798 were male and 26 were non-white.
Keller said 87 percent of those who were helped by New Beginnings transitioned out and have not gone back to their abuser.
Keller said recent state and federal spending cuts have affected the program and cost them two full-time positions.
"Every area that generated funding is down," she said referring to the weak economy. New Beginnings is helped by two AmeriCorps and Vista volunteers.
Saying that it "feels frightening" to see the funding decrease, Keller said New Beginnings was remaining optimistic that the funds will continue to come through federal, state and local governments as well as private donations and thousands of volunteer hours that local people continue to provide to keep the program moving forward.
Statewide, the N.H. Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence was able to provide shelter to 630 people but 721 were turned away for lack of space.
The police see domestic violence up close and personal. Adams said the city has about 17,000 permanent residents and his department typically responds to 300 to 500 domestic violence incidents annually.
City police have addressed domestic violence in two keys ways: by creating a Police Oriented Problem project that directs 12 members of his department — from captains to dispatchers and civilian staff — who continually address the issue and by adopting the Lethality Assessment Program.
The Lethality Assessment Program or LAP, said Adams, was developed in Baltimore, Maryland and sets out protocols for police to follow each time they respond to a domestic violence call. Its goal was to reduce the number of domestic-related homicides — something Adams said he has seen in Laconia about seven or eight times since he joined the force 19 years ago.
LAP forces an instant connection to a local advocacy group-typically New Horizons and the Child Advocacy Center to provide assistance not only to the victim but to the children who often witness domestic violence.
Shaheen said she was familiar with LAP and praised it for helping to "stop the cycle of violence." She said children who come from homes with domestic abuse are more likely than other to become victims of abuse or abusers themselves.
Shaheen closed by saying the VAWA bill passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support and that all of N.H. national delegation that includes U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (District 1) and U.S. Rep. Anne Kuster (District 2) all support the VAWA.
"VAWA is a proven tool in supporting victims, social service providers and law enforcement officials, and today's meetings underscore that the House cannot pass this critical, bipartisan legislation soon enough," Shaheen said.
Shaheen joined state Sen. Andrew Hosmer (D-Laconia), state Reps. Lisa DiMartino (D- Gilford), David Huot (D-Laconia), Beth Arsenault (D-Laconia), Police Chief Chris Adams and Lt. Rich Simmons; members of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, community partners and the staff at the shelter.
"Now the pressure is in the House (of Representatives) to pass the Senate bill and make sure there are no funding interruptions," Shaheen said, noting that over a life time, one in four American women will be victims of sexual or domestic violence.
She encouraged local politicians to support the matching funds in New Hampshire House and Senate needed to secure the federal dollars should VAWA pass the U.S. House and be signed into law by President Obama.
According to New Beginnings Director Kathy Keller, her agency helped 798 individuals in Belknap County in 2012 with 11,954 services that they needed to overcome victimization. She said 105 of the 798 were male and 26 were non-white.
Keller said 87 percent of those who were helped by New Beginnings transitioned out and have not gone back to their abuser.
Keller said recent state and federal spending cuts have affected the program and cost them two full-time positions.
"Every area that generated funding is down," she said referring to the weak economy. New Beginnings is helped by two AmeriCorps and Vista volunteers.
Saying that it "feels frightening" to see the funding decrease, Keller said New Beginnings was remaining optimistic that the funds will continue to come through federal, state and local governments as well as private donations and thousands of volunteer hours that local people continue to provide to keep the program moving forward.
Statewide, the N.H. Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence was able to provide shelter to 630 people but 721 were turned away for lack of space.
The police see domestic violence up close and personal. Adams said the city has about 17,000 permanent residents and his department typically responds to 300 to 500 domestic violence incidents annually.
City police have addressed domestic violence in two keys ways: by creating a Police Oriented Problem project that directs 12 members of his department — from captains to dispatchers and civilian staff — who continually address the issue and by adopting the Lethality Assessment Program.
The Lethality Assessment Program or LAP, said Adams, was developed in Baltimore, Maryland and sets out protocols for police to follow each time they respond to a domestic violence call. Its goal was to reduce the number of domestic-related homicides — something Adams said he has seen in Laconia about seven or eight times since he joined the force 19 years ago.
LAP forces an instant connection to a local advocacy group-typically New Horizons and the Child Advocacy Center to provide assistance not only to the victim but to the children who often witness domestic violence.
Shaheen said she was familiar with LAP and praised it for helping to "stop the cycle of violence." She said children who come from homes with domestic abuse are more likely than other to become victims of abuse or abusers themselves.
Shaheen closed by saying the VAWA bill passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support and that all of N.H. national delegation that includes U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (District 1) and U.S. Rep. Anne Kuster (District 2) all support the VAWA.
"VAWA is a proven tool in supporting victims, social service providers and law enforcement officials, and today's meetings underscore that the House cannot pass this critical, bipartisan legislation soon enough," Shaheen said.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 03:47
Hits: 212
Laconia womanis alleged victim of back-to-back domestic violence incidents, 1 involving her husband & the other involving her brother
LACONIA — As if to underscore U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's stop in the city yesterday to encourage support for domestic violence prevention measures, a local man appeared in the 4th Circuit Court, Laconia Division to face three charges of violating a restraining order in a domestic violence case.
Affidavits said Patrick McIntire, 25, of 41 A Garfield St. appeared yesterday morning for violating a protective order Thursday morning taken out on him by his mother, who he allegedly assaulted the night before.
Lt. Rich Simmons said reports from officers said they responded to 41 A Garfield Street at 10:34 p.m. Wednesday to learn McIntire had pushed his mother and his sister after arriving home.
Once, said Simmons, he even pushed her to the ground and officers said he was walking around the house in an aggressive manner.
McIntire's sister and his girlfriend told police they tried to stop McIntire from pushing his mother and in the process his sister was also pushed. During the assault, McIntire also allegedly ripped the phone from his sister's hands in an effort to stop her from calling police.
He was charged Wednesday with two counts of simple assault and one count of obstructing the reporting of a crime — all misdemeanors — and released on personal recognizance bail. He returned the next day to his mother's house and that's when he was charged with the protective order violations.
The reason McIntire's sister was staying with her mother at the time of the confrontation was she too was a victim of domestic violence. She told police she was "re-traumatized" by the altercation with her brother.
At 6:22 p.m. on Wednesday, said Simmons, McIntire's mother had taken her daughter to Lakes Region General Hospital after she had allegedly been assaulted by her husband. He said that hospital protocols require the police to be called when an assault victim comes to the emergency room.
He said the responding officer took her statement and issued a 12-hour domestic violence order against her husband, Colin Bertram. Bertram was located in Moultonborough by Moultonborough Police who agreed to process him there and release him on personal recognizance bail.
Otherwise, said city police, Laconia would have had to send a cruiser and an officer to Moultonborough to get him. Police said he is staying in Moultonborough with relatives and is charged with one count of simple assault.
McIntire was ordered held by Judge James Carroll Friday morning on $300 cash-only bail on the protective order violations and a officer from the Belknap County House of Corrections said he was still incarcerated as of 7 p.m. yesterday.
Laconia Prosecutor Jim Sawyer said the 12-hour domestic violence order is a key tool police used to find alleged abusers and hold them. He said the law is designed to stop abusers from returning to their victims and gives all police the right to detain an alleged abuser without a warrant for 12 hours after the complaint is made.
He explained that without that law, Moultonborough Police would not have been able to detain Bertram in a timely manner.
Sawyer said the law was enacted to stop domestic homicides that can occur within hours after a victim notifies police of an assault. He said in the time it takes an officer to calm the situation, care for the victim, and prepare an arrest warrant and find a judge or justice of the peace who will sign it, the abuser can either be "zip codes away" or lying in wait to re-abuse.
He said the law is especially important in smaller communities that often have only one patrol officer on duty.
In Belmont, Lt. Richard Mann said he seen domestic abuse increase dramatically as the economy has worsened. Police logs from the past week show Belmont Police responded to 10 domestic violence-related incidents including one assault where a man — John Stebbins, 39, of 48 Orchard Hill Road — hit his girlfriend and was charged with two counts of simple assault. Police are also investigating one report of child abuse.
Mann said the 12-hour domestic violence law coupled with programs like New Beginnings are integral to reducing domestic violence.
"That law is absolutely critical to have," he said, noting that abusers often flee the scene only to return later and re-abuse.
Police also said that domestic violence is often fueled by alcohol and/or drugs.
Simmons said police statements in the McIntire incident indicate that alcohol was involved and Mann said alcohol was involved in the Stebbins arrest.
Affidavits said Patrick McIntire, 25, of 41 A Garfield St. appeared yesterday morning for violating a protective order Thursday morning taken out on him by his mother, who he allegedly assaulted the night before.
Lt. Rich Simmons said reports from officers said they responded to 41 A Garfield Street at 10:34 p.m. Wednesday to learn McIntire had pushed his mother and his sister after arriving home.
Once, said Simmons, he even pushed her to the ground and officers said he was walking around the house in an aggressive manner.
McIntire's sister and his girlfriend told police they tried to stop McIntire from pushing his mother and in the process his sister was also pushed. During the assault, McIntire also allegedly ripped the phone from his sister's hands in an effort to stop her from calling police.
He was charged Wednesday with two counts of simple assault and one count of obstructing the reporting of a crime — all misdemeanors — and released on personal recognizance bail. He returned the next day to his mother's house and that's when he was charged with the protective order violations.
The reason McIntire's sister was staying with her mother at the time of the confrontation was she too was a victim of domestic violence. She told police she was "re-traumatized" by the altercation with her brother.
At 6:22 p.m. on Wednesday, said Simmons, McIntire's mother had taken her daughter to Lakes Region General Hospital after she had allegedly been assaulted by her husband. He said that hospital protocols require the police to be called when an assault victim comes to the emergency room.
He said the responding officer took her statement and issued a 12-hour domestic violence order against her husband, Colin Bertram. Bertram was located in Moultonborough by Moultonborough Police who agreed to process him there and release him on personal recognizance bail.
Otherwise, said city police, Laconia would have had to send a cruiser and an officer to Moultonborough to get him. Police said he is staying in Moultonborough with relatives and is charged with one count of simple assault.
McIntire was ordered held by Judge James Carroll Friday morning on $300 cash-only bail on the protective order violations and a officer from the Belknap County House of Corrections said he was still incarcerated as of 7 p.m. yesterday.
Laconia Prosecutor Jim Sawyer said the 12-hour domestic violence order is a key tool police used to find alleged abusers and hold them. He said the law is designed to stop abusers from returning to their victims and gives all police the right to detain an alleged abuser without a warrant for 12 hours after the complaint is made.
He explained that without that law, Moultonborough Police would not have been able to detain Bertram in a timely manner.
Sawyer said the law was enacted to stop domestic homicides that can occur within hours after a victim notifies police of an assault. He said in the time it takes an officer to calm the situation, care for the victim, and prepare an arrest warrant and find a judge or justice of the peace who will sign it, the abuser can either be "zip codes away" or lying in wait to re-abuse.
He said the law is especially important in smaller communities that often have only one patrol officer on duty.
In Belmont, Lt. Richard Mann said he seen domestic abuse increase dramatically as the economy has worsened. Police logs from the past week show Belmont Police responded to 10 domestic violence-related incidents including one assault where a man — John Stebbins, 39, of 48 Orchard Hill Road — hit his girlfriend and was charged with two counts of simple assault. Police are also investigating one report of child abuse.
Mann said the 12-hour domestic violence law coupled with programs like New Beginnings are integral to reducing domestic violence.
"That law is absolutely critical to have," he said, noting that abusers often flee the scene only to return later and re-abuse.
Police also said that domestic violence is often fueled by alcohol and/or drugs.
Simmons said police statements in the McIntire incident indicate that alcohol was involved and Mann said alcohol was involved in the Stebbins arrest.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 03:41
Hits: 786
Chimney fire hot enough to crack bricks
BELMONT — Firefighters from Belmont and Gilmanton extinguished a stubborn chimney fire yesterday afternoon at 497 Brown Hill Road that was so hot it cracked the liner and bricks.
Belmont Lt. Fred Greene said the call came in at 4:49 p.m. from the homeowner while crews were returning from a medical call.
He said firefighter found a two-story chimney with a wood stove in the basement were burning "from top to bottom" when they arrived.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in the wood stove and the chimney. He said they checked to see if the fire had extended into the home and it had not.
Greene said the fortunately the homeowner was home and realized immediately that he had a fire. He tamped down the damper, called 9-1-1, and left the house.
"We are very glad he was there and that this didn't happen in the middle of the night," Greene said.
Greene said the fire was in a rural section of Belmont that doesn't have municipal water but not a lot of water was needed.
He said the house is inhabitable and the family has a back up alternative heat source.
A total of eight Belmont firefighters and four Gilmanton firefighters responded to the scene. No one was injured.
Belmont Lt. Fred Greene said the call came in at 4:49 p.m. from the homeowner while crews were returning from a medical call.
He said firefighter found a two-story chimney with a wood stove in the basement were burning "from top to bottom" when they arrived.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in the wood stove and the chimney. He said they checked to see if the fire had extended into the home and it had not.
Greene said the fortunately the homeowner was home and realized immediately that he had a fire. He tamped down the damper, called 9-1-1, and left the house.
"We are very glad he was there and that this didn't happen in the middle of the night," Greene said.
Greene said the fire was in a rural section of Belmont that doesn't have municipal water but not a lot of water was needed.
He said the house is inhabitable and the family has a back up alternative heat source.
A total of eight Belmont firefighters and four Gilmanton firefighters responded to the scene. No one was injured.
Last Updated on Friday, 15 February 2013 05:31
Hits: 94
More Articles...
- Laconia water customers paying at rate that's about half the state average
- LFD inspecting multi-family buildings
- Revised sled dog racing schedule has mushers scrambling
- 'Big River' features big cast with multiple family ties
- Entire Smith Track will have to be resurfaced
- Supreme Court to decide on restraining order against man Tilton man accused of multiple rapes
