Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1994 — Federal crime bill and Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Federal crime bill and Hawaiians

bv Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i Is there anything more heartbreaking than reading in the loeal news that the child of a friend/rel-

ative or family has been arrested? Recently I experienced this sadness and am moved to share with you some thoughts about where America is heading in its war on crime. We in Hawai'i have a responsibility to examine our social Droblems and resūond

to them with positive programs that will guide our troubled

youngsters back to the path. encouraging them to put their energy into constructive forms of community participation. To do otherwise is to admit that these are bad people - destined or pre-

destined to spend their precious lives behind bars - caged and punished. This is an inhuman, callous response to social problems and their effect on the most vulnerable members of the eommunity - the young.

Crime bill's effects at home Congress has finally passed a

crime bill despite partisan politics and gamesmanship that thoroughly watered it down. It's election year so a crime bill had to be cranked out so "we the people" back home would see that our elected congressional officials are not "soft on eiime." Mueh of the hassle in Congress was not over prison expansion amounting to $10 billion ($100,000 per eell and - talk about pork! - over $30,000 annually to keep an inmate there), but over the expenditure of $7 million on crime prevention programs. These needed services, including those for at-risk youth, were referred to as "pork barrel" social programs by Republicans, and a waste of money better spent on

poliee and prison cells. Wholesome activities for youths would make a difference and could keep them out of trouble and jail. An ounee of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure! Midnight basketball programs and other alternatives give adolescents a safe haven with supervised recreational facilities, and combat the idleness and boredom whieh lead to trouble. Domestic violence programs and shelters for abused families remain part of this prevention package. How does this relate to us here at home? Plans continue for a 900-bed expansion and a new 1 ,000-bed high security facility at Kūlani Prison on the Big Island.

There is eoneem by island residents and some elected officials that the presence of these massive facilities would be a mistake. Ben Cayetano is against this proposal and feels that Hawai'i must move away from mandatory sentencing and consider alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders before building the two huge prisons, though not ruling out smaller expansions. He cited (Honolulu Advertiser , Aug. 23 ), "California and Texas are embarking on wild prison eonstruction sprees that amount to 'pouring money down a rat hole!' It would take away things I feel are important — like schools and libraries." Hawaiians should eonūnueā on page 1 7

Akaka

from page 16

especially be concemed, in view of the recent study that showed our people are 20 percent of the convicted, and 40 percent of those in jail. Why? Though the enme bill has authorized the hiring of 800 new poliee officers here (Honolulu Advertiser , Sept. 5, "Gift of cops could bust budgets"), federal funding would cover only 30 percent of the cost of new officers for five years. Most county poliee chiefs feel their county budgets could not absorb the remaining 70 percent costs. In conclusion, Hawai'i needs a massive dose of honesty in dealing with social problems. It is important that we prove ourselves more intelligent and positive in dealing with young offenders. We are the people of aloha - we believe in love. This is not to say that we are incapable of dealing with those who prove incorrigible in their malevolenee toward persons and property. It is to say that when we see people, especially young people, pursuing the wrong path, we must guide them back onto the path toward positive, constructive lives. We Hawaiians must never lose faith in our young - they look to us for leadership and we must not let them down! Mālama pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono.