State plans to relocate prison off Kalihi land
Gov. David Ige’s administration hopes to fast-track relocation of the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the state’s largest prison, as public safety officials continue to grapple with perpetual overcrowding and deteriorating conditions.
The administration is “feverishly” working on a bill that will expedite construction of a new facility next to the existing Halawa Correctional Facility, Department of Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda told lawmakers at a budget briefing Tuesday.
He said more details about the plan are expected to be divulged during Ige’s State of the State address Jan. 25. In the meantime he declined to discuss anticipated costs or a relocation timeline.
The idea of moving the facility has been floated for years and gained traction amid plans to run Oahu’s elevated rail line past the OCCC site in Kalihi, increasing the value of the state-owned land and potential development opportunities.
The assistance of the Legislature, “in combination with the choo-choo train coming through Kalihi, has really provided a tidal wave for us to ride,” Espinda told lawmakers. “I hope we don’t fall down and try to catch it.”
In April Ige released $5 million in state funds for planning and to solicit proposals to relocate the prison. Lawmakers had appropriated the funds under Gov. Neil Abercrombie, but the money was never released.
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State Rep. Romy Cachola (D, Sand Island-Kalihi-Airport) applauded the plans, telling Espinda that he’s wanted to see OCCC moved since the days of Gov. John Waihee’s administration. “Up until now I’m still dreaming of moving it out,” he said.
OCCC was designed to hold 628 inmates but held nearly double that during the last week of December, according to figures provided by the state Department of Public Safety. The facility has been modified to hold 954 beds, still not enough to accommodate the 1,155 inmates who were housed there at the end of last month.
With some inmates sleeping on the floor of Hawaii jails, Espinda also stressed the need for additional funding for the neighbor island facilities, where he said overcrowding is even worse.
The Maui Community Correctional Center was designed for 209 beds but last month held 463 inmates, mirroring conditions at the Kauai Community Correctional Center and Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Espinda is seeking $45 million to increase bed space at the neighbor island jails.
“It’s a short-term attempt to address overcrowding,” he said.
Espinda was blunt about the severity of the problem, telling lawmakers that a failure to address the problem could result in federal intervention.
“The Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii community correctional centers are grossly overcrowded,” he told lawmakers. “Conditions created by overcrowding place the citizens and elected officials of Hawaii under a cloud of liability that could threaten continued autonomous control and supervision of the jails throughout the state.”
18 responses to “State plans to relocate prison off Kalihi land”
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But won’t it harm the environment, if most of the families will have to travel farther to visit their inmates?
I hope you’re being sarcastic. Hard to tell on the internet.
Put up a parking lot, and charge the people a dollar and a half just to see them.
My puppies sleep on the floor.
Your puppies are gone.
Put your puppies back in your pants partner.
Bigger government means a bigger prison.
About time, should’ve done this 20 years ago.
They need some new guards with the new prison.
Easier said than done. They don’t get paid much so their potential employee pool is very limited.
True, but they get Super Bowl Sundays off and on any other event they want—they are too “sick” we need healthy ones. Or, change the law to a right to work state.
The big question– once the prison is moved, what will be built in Kalihi?
go dig into HART’s website to look at the plans for this area; not easy to find but well worth looking for
To date, the state has been hopeless in addressing it’s problems. It’s not just prison overcrowding, it the whole housing market – there’s high rates in the rental market, homelessness and chigh prices in housing period.
Here comes a high-rise condo or condos.
I propose that a felon who breaks the law 3X get voted off the island like in survivor.
Why are we spending precious tax dollars to house, feed, offer free healthcare and attempt to transform them into the mainstream public ?
Isn’t Guantanamo Bay detention camp still open for business?
WHO CARES if they sleep on the floor or in the mud. They are prisoners and should all be working to clean this state up by picking up trash, weed whacking
Rail is demanding the site.And we can build more high-rise condos.