Bill Text: HI SR79 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Parole; Hawaii Paroling Authority; Early Release

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-07 - Certified copies of resolutions sent, 06-07-13. [SR79 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SR79-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	79
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the hawaii paroling authority to thoroughly consider granting parole to class a, class b, and class c felons before the expiration of their maximum terms.

 

 

     WHEREAS, in 2006, of the 121 individuals who served their maximum sentence, fifteen (twelve percent) were considered high risk for committing a new crime or parole violation; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2011, of the 247 individuals who served their maximum sentence, 101 (forty-one percent) were considered high risk for committing a new crime or parole violation; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 2011 figure did not include parole violators, including twenty-seven high-risk parolees, who maxed out that year; and

 

     WHEREAS, the number of high-risk Hawaii inmates who completed their terms and were released without any transition was actually 128; and

 

     WHEREAS, data from the Interagency Council on Intermediate Sanctions 2008 Cohort - 2011 Recidivism Update show the recidivism rate for probationers at 48.5 percent, the recidivism rate for parolees at 48.4 percent, and the recidivism rate for those who serve their maximum term and are released with no supervision and support at 69.3 percent; and

 

     WHEREAS, the results of many studies point to the potential psychological harm that long term incarceration can cause; and

 

     WHEREAS, these findings are critical to policy makers who must decide how best to deal with long term inmates so that when they are released, they can return to the community as productive, law abiding citizens; and

 

     WHEREAS, more than 100 leading national and state crime victim advocates and survivors have signed on to a statement of guiding principles on sentencing, corrections, and public safety; and

 

     WHEREAS, one of the seven principles speaks directly to the issue of time served in prison: "While it is important for offenders to receive just punishment, the quantity of time that convicted offenders serve under any form of correctional supervision must be balanced with the quality of evidence-based assessment, treatment, programming and supervision they receive that can change their criminal behavior and thinking and reduce the likelihood that they will commit future crimes. For many offenses and offenders, shorter prison terms are acceptable if the resulting cost savings are reinvested in evidence-based programs that reduce recidivism"; and

 

     WHEREAS, the National Conference of State Legislatures convened a Sentencing and Corrections Work Group that included legislators from many states, including Representative Faye Hanohano from Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the report, entitled "Principles of Effective State Sentencing and Corrections Policy", states under Principle 3 that states should provide "appropriate levels of supervision and services for all offenders as they reenter the community"; and

 

     WHEREAS, releasing individuals from prison directly into the community is not in the best interest of public safety; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, that in order to reduce the rate of recidivism in Hawaii, the Hawaii Paroling Authority is encouraged to thoroughly consider granting parole to individuals serving Class A felonies on parole eighteen months before the expiration of their maximum term; individuals serving Class B felonies on parole twelve months before the expiration of their maximum term; and individuals serving Class C felonies on parole six months before the expiration of their maximum term; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Public Safety; Hawaii Paroling Authority; Prosecuting Attorneys of the City and County of Honolulu and Counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui; Chair of the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee; and Chair of the House Public Safety Committee.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Parole; Hawaii Paroling Authority; Early Release