STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1727

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 157

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 157, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE CORRECTIONAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE CONTINUE ITS STUDY OF EFFECTIVE INCARCERATION POLICIES TO REDUCE THE DETAINEE AND INMATE POPULATION WHILE PRESERVING PUBLIC SAFETY, LOWER RECIDIVISM, AND IMPROVE HAWAII'S CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Request that the Correctional Justice Task Force created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 85, S.D. 1 (2016) continue its study of effective incarceration policies to reduce the detainee and inmate population while preserving public safety, lower recidivism, and improve Hawaii's correctional system;

     (2)  Request that the Judiciary and the Department of Public Safety provide administrative support to the Correctional Justice Task Force; and

     (3)  Request that the Correctional Justice Task Force, with assistance from the Legislative Reference Bureau, submit a report of its continued findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, State of Hawai‘i; Department of Public Safety; American Civil Liberties Union; Community Alliance on Prisons; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that addressing the State's ever-increasing prison population is essential for maintaining public safety and welfare.  Over the past two decades, long prison sentences and increased recidivism have contributed to a spike in the prison population across the country.  Increases in the prison population lead to greater funding needs for corrections and corrections facilities at the expense of other necessary government programs.  To address inefficiencies and inadequacies in Hawaii's correctional system, the Legislature, through House Concurrent Resolution No. 85, S.D. 1 (2016), created the Correctional Justice Task Force to provide guidance and suggest improvements regarding Hawaii's incarceration policies, correctional system, and the design of future correctional facilities.  Since its inception, the Task Force has made valuable contributions aimed at improving the State's correctional operations.  However, the Task Force is set to dissolve after 2017.  Your Committee finds that the Correctional Judicial Task Force created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 85, S.D. 1 (2016) should continue its study of effective incarceration policies to reduce the detainee and inmate population while preserving public safety, lower recidivism, and improve Hawaii's correctional system.

     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 H.C.R. No. 157, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair