According to the Criminal Justice Sourcebook’s report on the number of juvenile facilities per state, Hawaii had 4 privately run facilities during 2000, 3 during 2002, and 5 during 2004 (Sourcebook, 2004). The number of facilities decreased from 2000 to 2002 by 1(it went from 4 to 3 facilities); however, from the year 2002 to 2004 the number of facilities increased by 2 (it went from 3 to 5 facilities) (Sourcebook, 2004). The number of privately owned juvenile facilities remained pretty constant throughout the years. Hawaii is a very small state so it is not necessary to have 61 facilities like Colorado did in 2000(Sourcebook, 2004). One reason for the change from 2000 to 2002 could be that a facility went bankrupt because there were not enough juveniles committing crimes. Another reason for the slight increase in change from 2002 to 2004 could be that incarceration numbers increased so there was need for more juvenile facilities. The third reason for the change could be the population number increased so there were now more juveniles that could create trouble.
According to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, Hawaii was not represented on the list because their jurisdictions have State-operated integrated jail/prison systems (Sourcebook, 2003). Even though Hawaii is not on the list there was another source available to help determine Hawaii’s jail situation. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Hawaii’s total prison inmate population as of June 30, 1999 was 4943, down roughly 3.7% from the previous year (Beck, 2000). This reduction in inmate population suggests to me that the state’s prisons are generally not overcrowded. The drop itself was the 3rd largest in the country, right next to Ohio (4.5%) and Rhode Island (11.2%). Reductions in inmate population obviously free up prison space, but such a nation-leading reduction is even more significant. Furthermore, incarceration rate (305) was below median level for the nation, and likely below average (Beck, 2000). Another reason as to the prisons in Hawaii are not overpopulated is Hawaii is a very small state, so its population is not as large compared to a state such as Texas, and the last reason why Hawaii’s jails would not be overcapacity would be that Hawaii has a good parole system. Their system of parole is a little more lenient allowing prisoners to be released a little earlier than other states. For these reasons, it appears that Hawaii’s prisons are generally not overcrowded.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2000 the amount of female prisoners in the state of Hawaii stood at 561. However as the years progressed, there were more female prisoners (in 2006 there were 734 and in 2007 there were 746) (West and Sabol, 2008). The average annual change that occurred between the years 2000 and 2006 was 4.6% and from 2006 to 2007 the annual change stood at 1.6% (West and Sabol, 2008). One possibility of why the amount of female prisoners jumped from 561 to 734 because Hawaii’s population increased, having other people moving to the islands from the mainland. Another possible reason why female rates increased during the years was due to the higher availability of illegal drugs, such as meth. The last cause is the more criminal actives being done by females due to the fact that people wouldn’t necessarily believe that a woman would do those types of things. Plus too, others are more lenient towards females than they are to males.
Although the numbers for female prisoners seem pretty high, the number of Hawaii’s male prisoners was eight times as the amount of female prisoners. In 2000 there were 4,492 male prisoners; in 2006 there were 5,233; and one less in 2007, leaving the number of male prisoners at 5,232 (West and Sabol, 2008). From the years 2000 to 2006, there was a 2.6% average annual percent change, having it lower than the female prisoners, and 0% change from 2006 to 2007 (within one year) (West and Sabol, 2008). The reason for changes in the male prisoner number could be due to many reasons like males are generally more aggressive than females so it’s only natural that there are more male prisoners than females. It’s in a male’s gene to be aggressive so they tend to be more violent and have higher chances to be incarcerated. Males are more prone to doing heavier drugs than females are and tend to act out on their impulses than females do. However, it’s rather odd that there was one less prisoner in 2007 than 2006 because there isn’t much room in the prisons these days so they may let out those who have lesser charges.
Sourcebook of criminal justice statistics Online. (2004). Public and private juvenile residential facilities. Retrieved on November 22, 2009, from University of Nevada Las Vegas, Webcampus Web Site: http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/pdf/t100092004.pdf
Beck, J.A. (2000, April). Prison and jail inmates at midyear 1999. Retrieved from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/pjim99.pdf
West, H., & Sabol, W. (2008). Male prisoners under jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, December 31, 2000, 2006, & 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2009, from University of Nevada Las Vegas, Webcampus Web Site: https://webcampus.nevada.edu/webct/urw/lc33129041.tp0/cobaltMainF
West, H., & Sabol, W. (2008). Female prisoners under jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, December 31, 2000, 2006, & 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2009, from University of Nevada Las Vegas, Webcampus Web Site: https://webcampus.nevada.edu/webct/urw/lc33129041.tp0/cobaltMainF
Image from:
Derek Lilly. (2009).Welcome to Portbury Village Hall Website Retrieved on November 23, 2009, from www.portburyvillagehall.co.uk/
