Alternative sex offender parole plans offered
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
A group of lawmakers and educators has come up with two alternatives to having sex offenders report to their parole officers at a downtown Honolulu location near several schools, but a final decision rests with Gov. Ben Cayetano, who has not agreed to either plan.
As a cost-cutting measure, the Hawai'i Paroling Authority plans to shut its Waiakamilo Road office and consolidate operations at its main office at 1177 Alakea St.
The authority must vacate the Waiakamilo site by the end of this month and intends to have the 340 parolees transferred to downtown. Of those, 83 are convicted sex offenders.
The move was postponed last month after school officials and parents held a meeting saying they feared for the safety of the students.
The Alakea building is within walking distance of St. Andrew's Priory School, Central Middle and Royal Elementary, and Hawai'i Pacific University.
Sen. Rod Tam, D-13th (Downtown, Pauoa, Nu'uanu) along with representatives of the schools, sent a letter to the governor Dec. 20 suggesting an available state-owned office space at 919 Ala Moana Blvd. be used for the sex offenders to meet with parol officers.
City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura has also come up with a plan for the city to pay $50,000 to cover the operating expenses for the Waiakamilo site for one year, which would keep the program where it is.
Both plans require the governor's approval.
Cayetano said yesterday that the idea is to save money, and the state cannot afford to keep the Waiakamilo facility running even if the city pays expenses for a year. He said it does not address the long-term problem of cost cutting.
Paroling Authority administrator Tommy Johnson said when the Waiakamilo facility opened years ago, it was paid for by grants, which have since dried up. Now it is paid for from the department's operating budget and using that money prevents them from filling key positions.
Johnson said they have already brought in desks, set up telephone lines and acquired parking for 10 employees moving from Waiakamilo and, unless the governor steps in, the move will be completed by the end of next week.
"Our main concern is public safety," Johnson said. "We don't see the move as compromising public safety in any way."
Yoshimura said the city money would allow time for the Legislature to come up with a more permanent solution.
Cayetano said he will keep an open mind, look into Sen. Tam's proposal and search for alternatives.
Tam said the Ala Moana space is sitting empty and could be used temporarily until the parol authority's permanent home in the state's second office building in Kapolei is completed.
Johnson said that building is at least five years off, depending on state funding.
Caroline Oda, head of St. Andrew's Priory School, said many of the 500 girls at her school catch the bus right in front or across the street from the parole office and will be potential targets for repeat offenders. Parents have said they will pull their children out of the school if the parol office expands, she said.
Oda said the recidivism rate for sexual offenders in Hawai'i is estimated at about 3 percent.
By that figure, she estimates that at least two of the 83 parolees who are sex offenders would commit sexual offenses again.
"The state says 3 percent (recidivism) is a good rate, but it is too much," Oda said. "We will keep going until we get it moved."
Theresia McMurdo, whose 8-year-old daughter attends St. Andrew's Priory School, said either plan would work for her.
"They would be reporting right next to a school with 500 girls," McMurdo said. "The parking lot is right next to St. Andrew's. We are not saying there is a perfect site, but there is such thing as a bad site and this site increasing the chances of contact with girls ... It doesn't make sense to me."
