RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) was originally built in 1995 for only the most violent and dangerous youthful offenders who are threats to the community; and

WHEREAS, of the 156 new youth admitted to HYCF in fiscal year 2003-2004, 87 were admitted for short-term commitments of less than 365 days; and

WHEREAS, evaluations of youth committed to HYCF indicate that approximately 54 percent of the youth would be more appropriately provided services in community-based programs instead of incarceration; and

WHEREAS, delinquent youth with mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral problems are often incarcerated because of the limited number of treatment programs in the community, resulting in low-risk youth being unnecessarily placed in highly secure and expensive settings; and

WHEREAS, of the 156 new youth admitted to HYCF in fiscal year 2003-2004, 11 were age 14, 20 were age 15, 47 were age 16, 53 were age 17, and 25 were 17 or older; and

WHEREAS, while at HYCF, younger and more vulnerable youth are often in close association with older, more criminally experienced youth and are often released from the facility with more criminal knowledge or a closer gang association than when they arrived; and

WHEREAS, 68 of the 156 new youth admitted to HYCF on Oahu in fiscal year 2003-2004 were from the counties of Maui, Hawaii, or Kauai, and many families were unable to visit their children on Oahu; and

WHEREAS, maintaining close relationships with their families is important to support the youth in sustaining positive changes and improvements when they return to their home environments and communities; and

WHEREAS, research has demonstrated that community-based programs and services are more appropriate and cost-effective than institutional care or incarceration for the majority of troubled, abused, and neglected youth who would be better served in a less restrictive environment that can provide individual and intensive services conducive to their growth and development; and

WHEREAS, more active involvement of communities and local governments in assessing the needs of at-risk youth and families is needed to ensure the development of programs, services, and strategies to address their specific needs; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that the City and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, County of Maui, County of Kauai, family courts in all circuits, Department of Health Mental Services Division, Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and Hawaii Juvenile Justice Project are requested to collaborate with the Office of Youth Services on the development of an action plan to:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the organizations and agencies cooperate to remove barriers to developing safe alternatives to incarceration for at-risk youth on each island; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the counties, family courts, and other involved agencies and organizations are requested to collaborate with the Office of Youth Services in preparing a report, including proposed legislation if it is deemed necessary, to be submitted to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2006, describing the action plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Head Family Court Judge for the First Circuit Court, Head Family Court Judge for the Second Circuit Court, Head Family Court Judge for the Third Circuit Court, Head Family Court Judge for the Fifth Circuit Court, Director of Health, Superintendent of Education, Executive Director of Hawaii Youth Services Network, Chair of the Hawaii Juvenile Justice Project, and Executive Director of the Office of Youth Services.

Report Title:

Request counties to assess at-risk youth