STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1669

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 128

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 128 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY BOND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Public Safety to establish a task force to develop programs and support services for children of incarcerated parents, as well as programs to strengthen the family bond.

The Hawaii Youth Services Network, Parents and Children Together, Keiki O Ka' Aina Family Learning Centers, Hawaii Juvenile Justice Project, Community Alliance on Prisons, Hawaii Coalition for Dads, BluePrint For Change, and five individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Public Safety submitted testimony supporting the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that there are more than five thousand children in the State that have a parent in prison. These children experience grief, guilt, shame, and fear. School performance often declines and truancy, substance abuse, and aggressive behavior may increase. Many children of prisoners report depression, difficulty in sleeping, and concentration problems. Children whose mother is arrested are likely to experience even more stress and change than those who have fathers that are incarcerated. About two-thirds of incarcerated mothers were the primary caregivers of the children before they were arrested. The children are more likely to have a new caregiver, to be placed in foster care or with relatives other than a parent. Prison visitation policies and procedures can be frightening to children. Children are the best motivators in their incarcerated parents' rehabilitation. Numerous studies have found that increased contact between incarcerated parents and their families contribute to the incarcerated parents' reintegration into the community after their release. During this transitional period, former incarcerated parents turned to their families for support.

Your Committee further finds that the proposed task force could better assess and address the needs of families to support children of incarcerated parents and will strengthen the family bond among the parents and children. Most importantly, the children need to have contact with their parents, to have that relationship valued even under adverse circumstances. Rather than be stigmatized for their actions, they need to be treated with respect and as persons with potential. Currently, research has indicated that children with incarcerated parents will follow their parents into the criminal justice system perpetuating the cycle unless intervention occurs. In addition, intervention programs have shown that school attendance and grades improve and children are less likely to end up in the judicial system themselves.

Your Committee further finds that creating special visiting rooms with toys, books, and games for parents will create positive memories and foster stronger relationship among parents and children. Research has also shown that incarcerated mothers who enjoy greater contact with their children showed less recidivism, reduced misconduct and disciplinary behavior, and displayed more productivity in terms of work and program participation. In addition, experts have argued that enforced separation between parents and children is detrimental to both parents and children. The proposed task force is the first step and the proper approach in addressing this important issue by focusing on how many parents are incarcerated, where they are serving time, and the number and ages of their children, thereby placing the State and community partners in a better position to assess the kinds of services that are needed, and where and how they would be delivered most effectively.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding to the title the Department of Human Services and community partners in establishing the task force and

to participate in developing programs and support

services for children of incarcerated parents, as well

as programs to strengthen the family bond; and

(2) By deleting the provision that requested the Department of Public Safety and Department of Human Services

to contract with various agencies and organizations to implement the programs identified and developed by the

task force.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 128, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 128, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair