STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1783

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 128

S.D. 1

 

 

 

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 S.C.R. No. 128, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE AND TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY BOND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Human Services to establish a task force with community partners to identify and develop appropriate programs and support services for children of incarcerated parents, as well as programs to strengthen the family bond.

Testimony in support of this measure was offered by the Department of Public Safety and the Hawaii Youth Services Network.

Your Committee finds that the five thousand children in Hawaii with a parent in prison are at greater risk for academic failure, substance abuse, and behavior problems, including criminal conduct. Studies have shown that increased contact between children and the incarcerated parent reduces the risks of adverse impact on the child and provides an incentive to the parent to address the problems that brought them to prison in the first place.

Your Committee further finds that the proposed task force will help assess the need of families to support children of incarcerated parents and will help develop programs to assist both the children and the parents, thereby strengthening the family bond. These include specialized visitation and reintegration programs.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 128, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair