THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2532
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to prisons.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's prison system houses many more inmates than it was designed to accommodate. Hawaii has a population of approximately five thousand six hundred inmates, costing the State about $52,000 per inmate per year. One reason the prison system is overburdened is that 49.6 per cent of convicted felons return to prison within one year of their release. However, forty-three per cent of inmates who seek and attain education in prison are less likely to return. Accordingly, reducing recidivism by ten inmates will save the State approximately $520,000 annually.

The legislature further finds that in order to reduce recidivism, several states have established programs that include training and mentoring to give inmates an opportunity to learn entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and business skills that will facilitate their reentry into society. For example, the Darden School of Business and the University of Virginia have partnered with the Dillwyn Correctional Center to teach eligible and willing inmate students business skills to reduce recidivism. Recidivism rates in Virginia are currently approximately twenty-three per cent, one of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation. Similar programs have been established in other jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia through the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and New York through Columbia Business School. An initial investment in this type of program has potential for enormous cost savings for the State.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a working group to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with business and entrepreneurial skills and financial literacy education to establish a foundation for the inmates to succeed after their release form incarceration.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the department of public safety a working group that shall contract with an educational institution to establish a business, entrepreneurial, and financial literacy program focused on providing incarcerated students with access to a quality business education.

(b) The department of public safety shall coordinate with an accredited institution of higher education to create a program designed to reduce recidivism. The program shall focus on providing inmates with business and entrepreneurial skills and financial literacy education to establish a foundation for the inmates to succeed after their release from incarceration.

(c) The working group shall cease to exist on June 30, 2025.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $400,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the pilot program established pursuant to this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

PSD; Prisons; Recidivism; Working Group; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes within the Department of Public Safety a working group to reduce recidivism by providing business education to inmates. Appropriates moneys.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.