Report Title:

Female Parity in Corrections

 

Description:

Requires adult women charged with or convicted of crimes and juvenile females adjudicated for offenses that would be crimes if committed by an adult or who are adjudicated delinquents, to be provided a range and quality of programs substantially equivalent to the range and quality offered to males. Appropriates funds. (HB71 HD3)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

71

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

H.D. 3

STATE OF HAWAII

  

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"CHAPTER

PARITY FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS

§    -1 Female prisoners; parity programs. Adult women charged with or convicted of crimes and juvenile females adjudicated for offenses that would be crimes if committed by an adult or who are adjudicated delinquents, shall be provided a range and quality of programs substantially equivalent to the range and quality of programs offered to male persons similarly situated. Programs for female offenders shall be based upon the psychosocial developmental needs of female offenders.

§    -2 Model programs. Within the limits of money appropriated by the legislature specifically for the purpose, the director of public safety shall provide model gender-responsive programs for female offenders that respond to statewide needs and geographical areas, and shall award grants for the programs. Listed in the order of importance, the programs shall:

(1) Respond in a rehabilitative way to the type of offenses female offenders generally commit, addressing pathways to crime;

(2) Respond to the problems of female offenders with dependent children;

(3) Respond to the importance of developing independent living and marketable job skills;

(4) Assist female offenders to overcome their own extreme degree of dependency, learning strong and healthy relationships without losing self-esteem; and

(5) Offer technical assistance and training toward the implementation of other similar programs.

§    -3 Grants-in-aid. To encourage cooperation and assist agencies that have existing programs for female offenders, and to encourage agencies to develop and implement new programs, the director of public safety shall make grants-in-aid to agencies electing to participate in the grant program.

§    -4 Agency programs; proportionate costs. Where several agencies combine to provide one or more of the programs under this chapter, the cost of each program shall be borne proportionately by the participating agencies on the basis of need or use as determined by rules adopted by the director of public safety pursuant to chapter 91.

§    -5 Duties of the director of public safety. The director of public safety shall:

(1) Review all plans for programs for female offenders;

(2) Review grant-in-aid applications or proposals for model programs and award grants for programs;

(3) Monitor the delivery of services provided under grant-in-aid programs for female offenders; and

(4) Establish, by rule, a method of determining the amount or percentage of local contribution to receive a grant-in-aid under this chapter.

§    -6 Juvenile female offenders. The office of youth services shall collaborate with the departments of human services, health, labor and industrial relations, and education, as well as with representatives of the private sector, to develop a comprehensive continuum of care to address the gender-responsive needs of juvenile female offenders."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 to provide model gender-responsive programs within resources provided for female offenders that respond to statewide needs and geographical areas, and to award grants under this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.