Rehabilitation better than incarceration

Commendations are due Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick for his insightful article about our criminal justice system (“Instead of building a new jail, spend money on rehabilitation,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 25).

It’s well documented that human services are more cost-effective than incarceration; they’re also more compassionate.

Bishop Fitzpatrick correctly provides the advantages of restorative justice over retributive justice: “We should not criminalize our social problems.”

Every person deserves and needs an opportunity for rehabilitation rather than punishment only. This is especially true for those imprisoned for drug use. There should be better laws for drug use, substance abuse and selling drugs. A new prison wouldn’t be necessary if we stopped incarcerating those who use drugs. I witnessed a dramatic example while standing with family members outside Castle Medical Center after a young mother died under questionable circumstances after being in the Kailua women’s prison.

Legislators and prison planners need to hear Bishop Fitzpatrick’s wise counsel.

John Heidel

Kailua

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Other interests stifle health care truths

Truth is a funny thing. Even when encased in its factual armor, it lacks persuasive power in the face of powerful competing interests.

Nevertheless, state Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito is to be praised for his dire warning and his frank incisiveness (“Costs to skyrocket,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 21).

Health care costs are out of control and insurers should not be the sole focus of attention.

Insurance premiums are largely a reflection of health care costs. Such a simple and obvious truth seems to elude those entrusted with discharging the public’s bidding.

The spiraling costs defy a blanket solution. However, to tackle the usual suspects without first addressing the system of health care is destined for the only-too-familiar failure.

Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when creating them.”

The probability of America not discovering universal health care by now is a statistical outlier. It could be embraced now, but then truth is a funny thing.

Victor Saumarez

Lahaina

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Police shouldn’t act as immigration agents

President Donald Trump’s rhetoric of bigotry materializes in his immigration policies. He signed an executive order that seeks to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. by deputizing state and county police to act as federal immigration enforcement agents.

However, most of Hawaii’s estimated 45,000 undocumented immigrants have committed no crime arising from their immigration status. They simply overstayed their visas, which is not a crime. Those who have committed crimes should be treated as criminals, but the rest should be treated with aloha.

House Bill 1994 and Senate Bill 2290 have been introduced in the Legislature to stop state and county police from acting as federal immigration enforcement agents. Immigration is a federal function and should remain so. State and county law enforcement resources are already stretched thin, and they should not be used to deport undocumented immigrants who are innocent of any crime.

John Kawamoto

Kaimuki

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Nuclear weapons deter attacks on U.S.

Noel Kent is more than a bit disingenuous in saying, “What makes a nuclear confrontation much more possible is the aggressively nationalist stance of President Donald Trump” and then citing as a supporting reference a long article that makes no mention whatsoever of using nuclear weapons (“Pentagon policies increase nuke risk,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 24).

That news article deals exclusively with conventional force readiness exercises.

Kent’s assertion that “our only safety lies in comprehensive nuclear disarmament by all nuclear powers” reveals a dreadful gap in his understanding of history.

Our nuclear weapons go to work every day, as they have for the last 70 years, deterring any nation’s willingness to attack America. The record of the success of these strategic weapons in that vital mission is unbroken.

Thomas E. Stuart

Kapaau, Hawaii island

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Workers laid off despite tax breaks

Gary Johnson said that President Donald Trump must given full credit for the economy in light of the bonuses some business organizations are bestowing upon their employees (“President presides over strong economy,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 14).

However, Johnson failed to mention the many layoffs that are taking place simultaneously. Walmart announced plans to lay off scores of corporate workers, as well as thousands of employees with the closing many Sam’s Club locations.

AT&T laid off thousands of workers, along with Carrier and Kimberly-Clark.

Ryan Tin Loy

Nuuanu

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Even in a crisis, pets are part of the family

Regarding the letter on people seeking shelter with their pets during a crisis (“Put people over pets when seeking shelter,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 23): Mark Adam fails to understand the place that pets have in our lives.

My dogs are my family and I would no more leave them and seek shelter than Adams would leave a family member behind.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

In my home, they are family members and will “shelter” with me wherever I am.

Catherine Jenkins

Mililani