Posted on: Friday, January 24, 2003
Aiona working on plan for prison
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona will lead the state's quest to find private resources to deal with the issue of building new prison space that will include drug treatment. But exactly what Aiona and Gov. Linda Lingle are seeking from prospective vendors remains a mystery for now.
"The lieutenant governor, in the next couple of weeks, will be unveiling yet another, a new idea in the area of drug treatment as well as creating more prison space," Gov. Linda Lingle said at a press conference yesterday.
The governor refused to discuss specifics despite questions from reporters. "I will leave it for him to lay out the details of this plan that he is working on right now which I think is innovative and something that hasn't been discussed before in a general, public way that makes so much sense," she said. "Sometimes I wonder why these kind of common sense ideas hadn't come forward before."
Lingle said it is important for the state to bring back to Hawai'i prisoners being incarcerated on the Mainland, noting recent information by the Department of Public Safety showed that recidivism is much higher among inmates shipped away than those at home.
The one thing that Lingle did make clear is that the administration's plans for new correctional facilities will involve partnerships with private entities. She also said the partnerships will probably include the private, nonprofit sector. "Coming up with a proper financing arrangement will be a part of the lieutenant governor's work as he comes forward with a new proposal on how to deal with the conditions," she said.
Former Gov. Ben Cayetano had been negotiating with a private company about constructing and running a 1,200-bed detention center in Halawa to replace the O'ahu Community Correctional Center in Kalihi but talks broke off just before he left office. Lingle yesterday said that company could still be part of future plans but would need to submit a proposal like other firms.
Lingle suggested several months ago that she is considering having a facility built on the Big Island on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands-controlled land that would incorporate a holistic approach to rehabilitation that would include a low-fat vegetarian diet for prisoners based on that promoted by Dr. Terry Shintani.
At Hawai'i National Guard headquarters in Diamond Head Crater yesterday, Lingle also listed a number of proposals that she is introducing in the Legislature designed to address homeland security and public safety.
"Clearly defining exactly what is a terrorist offense" is the purpose of one of the bills, the governor said. The definition would include hindering the apprehension or prosecution of terrorists; unlawful production of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons; and malicious hoaxes using imitation chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
Lingle also put her support behind bills that were submitted earlier this month by the Hawai'i Law Enforcement Coalition made up of police chiefs and prosecutors from all four counties, the state Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney in Hawai'i.
One proposal would make it easier for law enforcement officers to place wiretaps on those suspected of criminal activity. "Current laws are so restrictive that wiretaps are virtually never used by law enforcement in Hawai'i," Lingle said.
Other legislation would require accused criminals to prove claims of mental distress when using it as a defense, make it a felony to assault a law enforcement officer in the line of duty and eliminate the sunset provision on a law that raised the age of consent to 16 from 14.
