STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1491

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 135

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 135 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE CONCEPT OF ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF JUVENILE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT CENTERS, AS EMBODIED BY THE PROPOSED PILOT BIG ISLAND JUVENILE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT CENTER, THROUGHOUT THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to strongly support the concept of establishing a system of juvenile intake and assessment centers, as embodied by the proposed pilot Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, throughout the State.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services Office of Youth Services, the Hawaii County Mayor, the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and one individual.  Written testimony presented to your Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that law enforcement officers on the island of Hawaii are in need of a facility to house and hold juvenile offenders in a safe and secure manner that consequently allows the law enforcement officers to proceed with their patrol duties.  In 2006 over 2,350 juveniles were arrested, and a survey of law enforcement officers found that officers have no good options when dealing with arrested juveniles who cannot be returned to their homes because of drug, alcohol, or mental health problems, or family issues.  Existing programs are fragmented and may not accept disruptive juveniles or those who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  The Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center would help law enforcement officers by providing a safe holding place for these juveniles.  Various stakeholders and supporters of a Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center have already completed a thorough business plan that identifies the necessary startup and annual operating costs for the Center and are ready to move forward with a pilot program at a facility in Pahoa that can be implemented at less than a third of the cost of the comprehensive Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center initiative.  Your Committees affirm their support of the initiative and actions taken by the stakeholders, and pledge future support of continued efforts to establish and develop a Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center and to consider implementation of similar projects statewide.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Safety and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 135, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 135, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Public Safety and Military Affairs,

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair