Urging The Department Of Public Safety And Its Successor Agency, The Department Of Corrections And Rehabilitation, To Acquire The Honolulu Federal Detention Center And Requesting Hawaii's Congressional Delegation To Assist In Negotiating With The Federal Government For The Acquisition Of The Honolulu Federal Detention Center.
The acquisition of the Honolulu Federal Detention Center by the state is positioned as a means to alleviate the significant overcrowding issues that faces correctional facilities across Hawaii. The state jails, which have a rated capacity for approximately 2,491 inmates, are currently housing around 5,161 inmates. The resolution points out that acquiring this federal facility could help mitigate the financial burdens associated with building new state jail infrastructure, which could cost upwards of $1.5 billion.
Senate Resolution 210 urges the Department of Public Safety and its successor agency, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to acquire the Honolulu Federal Detention Center. This facility, opened in 2001, has a capacity of 1,200 beds but currently houses only around 400 inmates. The resolution highlights the need for state action to address ongoing problems with overcrowding in state jails and prisons, which are currently accommodating significantly more inmates than their designed capacity.
While there is broad agreement on the necessity of addressing the overcrowding crisis, the resolution highlights potential concerns regarding the negotiations with the federal government. There is a call for the negotiations to include considerations for the continued housing of federal pre-trial detainees under terms favorable to the federal Bureau of Prisons, which may add complexity to how the facility operates under state jurisdiction. Thus, the resolution raises questions about the integration of federal and state correctional strategies and the management of inmate populations.