Abercrombie appoints former Rep. Amaral to parole board

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is appointing to the Hawaii Paroling Authority a former state representative and Native Hawaiian cultural liaison. 

Abercrombie announced Annelle Amaral’s appointment Monday. 

Her term will expire in June 2015 if the Senate confirms her nomination. Amaral would fill a new seat created by a new law expanding the authority’s members from three to five. 

Amaral, a former Honolulu police officer, served in the state House of Representatives from 1988 to 1996. She served as Native Hawaiian cultural liaison to the commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii from 2008 until recently. 

Last week a task force issued recommendations to reduce the disproportionate number of Native Hawaiians in the criminal justice system. 

Native Hawaiians make up about one-quarter of the state’s population, but about 40 percent of the state’s inmates and those on parole.