STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3067

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 192

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 192 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF THE HUIKAHI RESTORATIVE CIRCLES PROGRAM IN HAWAII CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Public Safety to facilitate and support federal grant proposals for the funding of the Huikahi Restorative Circles program to address the backlog of requests from incarcerated individuals wanting to make amends for their past behavior.

     This measure also requests the Department to obtain an annual report from the provider of the Huikahi Restorative Circles program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one state department, two private entities, and thirteen individuals.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     A restorative circle is a group planning process for individual inmates, their families, and prison staff that results in a written transition plan for the inmate preparing to leave prison.  The transition plan details the inmate's needs, including the need for reconciliation with loved ones, any non-related victims not present at the circle, and the inmate personally, and addresses other needs, such as housing and employment necessary for the inmate to create a successful life by establishing goals for the inmate to meet.  A restorative circle makes it clear to inmates that they are responsible for their lives by the decisions that they make.

The Hawaii Restorative Circles program, renamed "Huikahi Restorative Circles", from the Hawaiian words "hui" meaning group and "kahi" meaning individual, is a reentry program mandated as part of Act 8, First Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.  The funds appropriated for the continuation and expansion of the Huikahi Restorative Circles program by Act 8 have not been released by the Governor. The Huikahi Restorative Circles program has been operating with private funding and community goodwill.  Impartial grant reviewers for the federal government recently stated that the Huikahi Restorative Circles "provide[s] an innovative approach to an often overlooked facet of an offender's reentry into the community--the interaction--past, present, and future--with the inmate's family.  The appreciation for cultural sensitivities will translate to other populations.  The inclusion of a thoughtful 'transition plan' it presents is a good next step opportunity for both family and inmates."  The Huikahi Restorative Circles Program has been recognized both nationally and internationally.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 192, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 192, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair