NCJ Number
58951
Date Published
1977
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THIS SUMMARY REPORTS ON THE STANDARDS AND GOALS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII TO MEET THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES PREVALENT IN HAWAII'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
AS A REQUIREMENT UNDER THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT OF 1968 (AS AMENDED BY THE CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1973) EACH STATE MUST ESTABLISH 'GOALS, PRIORITIES, AND STANDARDS' TO SERVE AS A BASIS AND GUIDE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING. THE BASIC INTERRELATED GOALS OF THE HAWAII PROJECT WERE (1) THE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION IN THE OCCURRENCES OF HIGH-FEAR CRIME AND (2) THE IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF EFFECTIVENESS AND FAIRNESS. THIS SUMMARY REFLECTS THE MAJOR PROPOSALS OF THE STANDARDS AND GOALS AND GIVES A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT. FIVE AREAS ARE DISCUSSED: POLICE, COURTS, ADULT CORRECTIONS, JUVENILE JUSTICE, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS. A TASK FORCE FOR EACH AREA WAS DEVELOPED AND STAFF WERE ASSIGNED TO RESEARCH THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES IN EACH AREA. THE POLICE TASK FORCE PROPOSED 24 GOALS, 107 STANDARDS AND 8 RECOMMENDATIONS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE SERVICE, STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AND MORE EFFECTIVELY COMBAT CRIME. THE COURTS TASK FORCE ADDRESSED THE PROBLEMS OF SCREENING, DIVERSION, PLEA BARGAINING, STANDARDS FOR THE TRIALS OF CRIMINAL CASES, AND SENTENCING OF CONVICTED DEFENDANTS, AND SCRUTINIZED THE APPELLATE FUNCTION AND PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE STANDARDS. THE TASK FORCE TO ACHIEVE EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN CORRECTIONS PROPOSED STANDARDS RELATING TO OFFENDERS' RIGHTS AND SENTENCING PRACTICES AND UNDERSCORED THE NEED TO REINTEGRATE THE OFFENDER INTO THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT UNDUE DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. IT RECOMMENDED UNIFYING ALL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE SERVICES FOR ANY AND ALL PERSONS WITHIN THE FORMAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND STRESSED THE NEED FOR MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT. THE JUVENILE JUSTICE TASK FORCE BASED ITS GOALS AND STANDARDS ON MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF DIVERSION AND MINIMUM PENETRATION; THE RIGHTS OF JUVENILES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM; MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND INPUT; NEED FOR EXPERT AND TRAINED PERSONNEL. THE MAIN GOAL OF THE HAWAII CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CJIS) IS TO CREATE A STATEWIDE INTERDEPENDENT AND INTERACTING ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A TOTALLY INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEM IN PLACE OF THE FRAGMENTED CURRENTLY IN USE. (MJW)