STAND. COM. REP. NO. 648-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2313

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2313, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RISK AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Public Safety to conduct internal pretrial female risk and needs assessments to measure a female offender's risk of flight, criminal conduct, and risk of violence or harm to the community; and

(2) Require the pretrial female risk and needs assessment tool to consider certain factors important to evaluate a female offender's risk to reoffend.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Correctional System Oversight Commission, Hawai‘i Substance Abuse Coalition, Women's Prison Project, and Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety.

Your Committee finds that a female offender's pathways to crime and risk factors for recidivism are often different than those of male offenders and specialized tools are needed to adequately identify these pathways and risks. This measure supports the use of a pretrial gender-responsive risk and needs assessment tool, which is critical in evaluating a female offender's risk of recidivism and other specialized treatment needs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2313, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair