House Concurrent Resolution No. 23 Task Force Executive Summary
The HCR 23 Executive Summary provides an overview of policy and research issues related to the Hawaii Paroling Authority’s role in setting minimum terms of imprisonment, which is the focus of the task force established through HCR 23. The summary was written to provide task force members, stakeholders, and the public with background information that prepares them to review the current policies and practices related to the state’s approach to setting the minimum amount of time an individual must serve when they are sentenced to prison. Additionally, it summarizes a few key issues related to sentencing policy and research for broader context.
To learn more about the HCR 23 Task Force: https://hcsoc.hawaii.gov/hcr23-task-force/
To view HCR 23: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HCR&billnumber=23&year=2023
Police Survey on Violent Crime Data in Hawai`i – Summary of Results
The summary presents results from a survey that was conducted with all four county police departments in Hawai`i on violent crime data. The purpose of the survey was to describe the data landscape on violent crime data for the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission (GVVCC) and to assist with other statewide research needs. The survey asked questions about the ways in which police departments collected information and stored data on arrests for violent crimes. Although arrest data is reported at a statewide level to the Department of the Attorney General, police departments operate local information and case management systems to collect arrest information before it is reported to statewide systems. Additionally, there are different policies and procedures for collecting and reporting on violent crimes from arrest information across all four police departments. The summary concludes with recommendations, including a recommendation for the GVVCC to create a clear definition for violent crimes for the state to promote consistent collection, research, and reporting on violent crimes.
To learn more about the GVVCC: https://ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc/gun-violence-and-violent-crimes-commission/
Exploring Violent Offenses Among Incarcerated Women in Hawai`i
This descriptive analysis stems from a request from members of the Women’s Corrections Implementation Commission (WCIC) to evaluate violent offenses among women incarcerated at the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC). Offense information, which was manually extracted from the Department of Public Safety (PSD) and Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) records, and were classified as violent according to the violent offense definition developed by the WCIC, as well as the violent offense coding used by PSD. This results of this analysis were intended to provide the WCIC with a better understanding of how many of Hawai`i’s female prisoners have committed a violent crime. This analysis uncovered noticeable differences in how violent crime was defined by the WCIC and PSD, as well as how it was measured – using lead offense, all offenses, and conviction history.