NEW HAMPSHIRE
Boston Globe

By Michael Levenson GLOBE STAFF JULY 14, 2017

The criminal investigation launched this week into sexual misconduct allegations at St. Paul’s School is a rare step that might not result in criminal charges but could force the institution to change its culture, legal specialists said Friday.

The inquiry would aim to answer a central question that has been raised by the allegations — whether the elite boarding school in Concord, N.H., tried to protect its own reputation at the expense of vulnerable students.

“The key here is to what extent the school had knowledge that the ongoing environment or culture at the school was producing these kinds of problems,” said Albert E. Scherr, a University of New Hampshire law professor. “On the surface, it’s not completely clear whether there is criminal liability, so it’s to [prosecutors’] credit to take the risk.”

In announcing the investigation…