STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3176

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 84

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 84 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND ITS COMMUNITY-BASED WORK FURLOUGH PROGRAMS TO ASSIST FORMERLY INCARCERATED FEMALE INMATES TRANSITION BACK INTO SOCIETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the Department of Public Safety to continue and expand its community-based work furlough programs to assist formerly incarcerated female inmates transition back into society.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety; Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Young Women's Christian Association; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; Community Alliance on Prisons; American Association of University Women Hawaii; Hawaii Women's Coalition; and nine individuals.

     Your Committee finds that community-based work furlough programs that assist formerly incarcerated persons transition back into society reduce costs of incarceration and rates of recidivism, especially in cases of nonviolent offenders.  Research indicates that such programs are effective at reducing the cycle of substance abuse, crime, and incarceration.  Your Committee further finds that the majority of female inmates incarcerated in Hawaii are nonviolent offenders, and that many are victims of gender based violence and trauma.  Expanding community-based work furlough program opportunities for these individuals will help them re-integrate into society.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 84 and recommends that it be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

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

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair