THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

87

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE HAWAII CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA CENTER, TO COMPARE THE RECIDIVISM RATES OF INMATES TRANSFERRED TO MAINLAND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WITH SIMILARLY SITUATED INMATES WHO REMAINED INCARCERATED IN HAWAII.

 

 

WHEREAS, since 1995, the Department of Public Safety has been contracting with mainland companies to house inmates from Hawaii to relieve overcrowding among in-state correctional facilities; and

WHEREAS, the inmates sent to the mainland are exposed to different types and amounts of rehabilitative programs from those inmates who remain in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, beyond the obvious benefit of reducing overcrowding, it has not been determined if continuing to contract for these services has had or will have a positive or negative effect on recidivism; and

WHEREAS, it is also unknown if there is any measurable difference in recidivism among inmates sent to various mainland correctional facilities operated by different companies; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Public Safety, with the assistance of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, is requested to compare the recidivism rates of inmates transferred to mainland correctional facilities with similarly situated inmates who remained incarcerated in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study focus on inmates who have been released or paroled for at least three years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, to the fullest extent possible, the study shall compare recidivism rates among inmates transferred to mainland facilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, to the fullest extent possible, the study shall compare recidivism rates among inmates sent to mainland facilities with Hawaii-housed inmates that met the criteria used for selecting inmates for transfer but were not transferred; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Department of Public Safety submit this study, along with its findings and recommendations, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Public Safety and the Attorney General.

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Inmates housed in mainland correctional facilities; Recidivism study