STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2284

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2428
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No.
2428 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR CRIME
     PREVENTION THROUGH THE REHABILITATION OF YOUTH GANG
     MEMBERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate $500,000 to be
expended by the Family Court to implement a rehabilitation
program for members of youth gangs based on the Redirectional
Method implemented by Adult Friends for Youth.

     Your Committee finds that youth gang involvement is an issue
of continuing concern in our community.  Over ninety youth gangs
have been identified by name and place on Oahu, with an
estimated membership of 1,500 youths.  The problem of gangs,
however, is not limited solely to Oahu.

     Your Committee further finds that many gang members often
feel that they do not have a place in the social, economic, and
educational mainstream, and, therefore, feel alienated from it.
Youth who turn to gangs believe that they will not live long
enough to graduate, so there is no point in attending school.
While many hope for something better, they are uncertain about
what to do to improve their lives.

     Your Committee believes that the Redirectional Method,
published in Toward a Gang Solution: The Redirectional Method,

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2284
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may help to rehabilitate and integrate members of youth gangs
into the mainstream culture, thus significantly reducing youth
gangs in Hawaii and the destructive and criminal behaviors with
which they are associated.  The Redirectional Method has been
applied in Kalihi, Oahu, with successful results, including a
significant increase in high school graduation rates of gang
members, a reduction in alcohol and drug use, and an increase in
the number of youths that go on to higher education or become
successfully employed.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Office of Youth Services.  The Judiciary submitted comments on
the bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2428, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred
to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary,



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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