STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1930-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.C.R. No. 125

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 125, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO RESEARCH AND STUDY EARLY PAROLE ELIGIBILITY PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE THE MINIMUM PERIOD OF TIME THAT HAWAII INMATES MUST WAIT TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to encourage inmate participation in rehabilitation programs that assist the inmates in reentering the community and to relieve inmate overcrowding by requesting the Department of Public Safety to research and study early parole eligibility programs established under the laws of other jurisdictions in order to report recommendations to the Legislature on the issues related to establishing an early parole eligibility program for Hawaii inmates incarcerated in Hawaii and on the mainland.

     The Community Alliance on Prisons and several concerned individuals supported this concurrent resolution.  The Hawaii Paroling Authority supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Public Safety and City and County of Honolulu's Department of the Prosecuting Attorney opposed this concurrent resolution.

     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. 125, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair