The state wants to build a jail for $525 million (“Gov. David Ige accepts environmental impact statement for relocating Oahu’s overcrowded jail,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 29). A jail does not house felons; a prison does.

Hawaii’s felons are sent to Arizona. It was supposed to be a temporary fix, but there are no plans to return them to Hawaii.

Do we really need a new jail? That is debatable. There is a task force looking at ways to lessen the jail population so we won’t need a new jail.

Many of us refer to jails as prisons, but they’re very different. Do we want to spend $525 million to build a jail? Would building a prison for $525 million be better to bring our ohana imprisoned in Arizona back to Hawaii?

E. Ileina Funakoshi

Pearl City