Bill Text: HI SB1306 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to Corrections.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB1306 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB1306-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1306

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there are three major components within the department of public safety -administration, corrections, and law enforcement.  The responsibility of corrections is to protect the community by keeping offenders that have been ordered detained apart from the public in a safe and humane environment while ensuring the safety of the community by preventing escapes and preparing the inmates for their eventual return to society.

     There are a number of programs within corrections that can be operated in a more efficient and cost effective manner, while still delivering the programs and services needed within the department.  Clarifying the function and purpose of these programs and consolidating the responsibilities among staff can preserve a significant amount of funds.

     It would better serve the offender, the community, and the department if the current statutory status of the reentry intake service center divisions were separated by creating a reentry services and separate intake service centers.  The functions of the intake service centers and the reentry services are distinct and should be separated.  The Institutions Division shall have authority over the reentry services.  The reentry services should coordinate with the county, state, federal, and community organizations working together in a more localized, focused, and concentrated effort to better serve the needs of adult offenders within the respective counties where the offenders are incarcerated or will return upon their release.

     Since the duties and responsibilities of both the reentry services and the intake service centers are related to the community correctional centers, the intake service centers should be located within the community correctional centers, thus saving on the expense of renting office space outside the facilities.

     The purpose of this Act is to clearly define the purpose and objectives of both the reentry services and intake service centers within the department and to make these services more efficient and cost effective.

     SECTION 2.  Section 353-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

            "§353-10 Reentry services and intake service centers.  There shall be within the department of public safety, [a] reentry [intake] services [center] for adult[s] offenders and a separate intake service center in each of the counties[,].  The intake service centers will [to] screen, evaluate, and classify the admission of persons to community correctional centers.  The reentry services will [and to] provide for the successful reentry of persons back into the community.  Each intake service center shall be staffed by a team of [psychiatrists,] social workers, technicians, and other personnel as may be necessary[.], and will be located in a community correctional center in each county.  Reentry services staff will be located in all correctional facilities.  There will be a Statewide Reentry Coordinator located in headquarters to provide guidance to the reentry staff in the correctional facilities and to collaborate with other agencies and reentry entities.

     The director of public safety may appoint full-time or part-time professionals and clerical staff or contract for professional services to carry out the duties of the intake service centers and reentry services as identified in this section.

     The intake service centers shall:

     (1)  Provide orientation, guidance, and technical services;

     (2)  Provide social-medical-psychiatric-psychological diagnostic evaluation;

     (3)  Provide pretrial assessments on adult offenders for the courts and assist in the conduct of presentence assessments on adult offenders and the preparation of presentence reports when requested by the courts;

     (4)  Provide correctional prescription program planning and security classification;

     The reentry services shall:

     [5](1) Provide such other personal and correctional services as needed for both detained and committed persons;

     [6](2) Monitor and record the progress of persons assigned to correctional facilities who undergo further treatment or who participate in prescribed correctional programs;

     [7](3) Ensure that the present and future reentry needs of persons committed to correctional facilities are being evaluated and met in an effective and appropriate manner; Provide additional reentry services to include working closely and collaborating with the furlough programs in each county that are currently managed by the department's institutions division;

     [8](4) Work closely and collaborate with the Hawaii paroling authority; and

     [9](5) Work closely and collaborate with the corrections program services division.

     [10](6) Work closely and collaborate with the health care division to ensure the mental health and medical needs of adult offenders are being met.

     SECTION 3.  The department of public safety shall not receive any additional funding in the department's operating budget to carry out the purpose of this Act.

     SECTION 4.Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

BY REQUEST


 


 

Report Title:

Relating to Corrections.

 

Description:

This measure amends Section 353-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to separate the intake service centers and reentry services within the department of public safety.

 

 

 

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

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