{"id":374881,"date":"2017-10-11T11:31:41","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T16:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/new-hampshire-law\/new-hampshire-criminal-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-12-19T15:21:15","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T20:21:15","slug":"new-hampshire-criminal-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/new-hampshire-law\/new-hampshire-criminal-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"New Hampshire Criminal Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n \n
\n \n New Hampshire Criminal Laws\n <\/h1>\n \n Learn about your state’s laws by using the links below.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Title XVII of the New Hampshire Statutes contains the state’s Criminal Code<\/a>. This includes all the criminal laws in New Hampshire as well as sentencing guidelines and legal defenses.<\/p>\r\n

Criminal offenses<\/a> are classified as felonies (for crimes with potential prison time of over one year) and misdemeanors (for crimes with no more than one year of possible jail time). Violations are lesser offenses that aren’t considered crimes and carry no possibility of jail time. These include minor traffic infractions, public urination, and disorderly conduct.<\/p>\r\n

New Hampshire is considered one of the safest U.S. states<\/a> to live in. Both the violent crime rate and the incarceration rate are well below the national average. Reasons cited for the ranking include a low poverty rate, a low population count, and a lack of large cities.<\/p>\r\n

If you run afoul of the law in New Hampshire, it’s a good idea to know what legal challenges you’ll face. FindLaw’s New Hampshire Criminal Laws section explores the different types of offenses, the crime classification system used, the state’s gun laws<\/a>, and the right to self-defense. Links to dozens of articles focused on explaining specific crimes are located below for ease of access.<\/p>\r\n

New Hampshire Criminal Laws – Types of Offenses<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The New Hampshire Criminal Code<\/a> breaks crimes into different categories for use by the attorney general and other state prosecutors. These classifications are useful for crimes that have different degrees of severity, such as assault or murder. Crimes range from abuse of office to theft:<\/p>\r\n