HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

116

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING the CONVENing of A TASK FORCE to REPORT ON STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM AMONG NATIVE HAWAIIANs.

 

 


     WHEREAS, there is a concern for the health and welfare of Native Hawaiian inmates in prisons in Hawaii and the continental United States; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to a number of historic and socioeconomic factors, Native Hawaiians make up a disproportionately high percentage of the inmate population in the state prison system, accounting for twenty-four percent of the overall state population but thirty-nine percent of the incarcerated population; and

 

     WHEREAS, in response to those concerns, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, in collaboration with public and private entities, published a report entitled "The Disparate Treatment of Native Hawaiians in the Criminal Justice System" in September 2010; and

 

     WHEREAS, this report found that, when controlled for all factors except ethnicity, Native Hawaiians face disparate treatment in the Hawaii criminal justice system in many areas, including but not limited to longer prison sentences, probations, and a higher percentage of parole revocations; and

 

     WHEREAS, as detailed in the report, two of the key factors that contribute to recidivism are a lack of standard and culturally-based programs in prison to adequately prepare an inmate for reentry into society; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the Senate concurring, that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is requested to convene a task force for the purpose of producing a comprehensive report on strategies and resources needed to reduce recidivism among Native Hawaiians; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Public Safety, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Task Force; OHA; Report to Address Recidivism in Native Hawaiians