STAND. COM. REP. NO. 261

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 488

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to expand work release opportunities to qualifying female inmates.

The work release program allows qualifying inmates to perform maintenance work on public property, such as state and county parks, roads, facilities, and conservation lands. This helps inmates establish a pattern of positive behavior and is one of the most effective ways of safely integrating them back into the communities. Presently, work release opportunities are provided only to male inmates. Qualifying female inmates should also be given the opportunity to reap the benefits of work release programs.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Public Safety, the Maui Community Correctional Center, the Community Alliance on Prisons, and three private citizens. Your Committee received no testimony in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to provide opportunities for incarcerated women to work toward a better future and to reduce recidivism.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 488 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair