|
Sex offender The state will delay relocation of a sex offender parole program for two weeks and is seeking a long-term alternative to the controversial plan that brought about 100 parents to a community meeting last night at St. Andrew's Priory School for Girls.
program kept
from school areas
Outraged parents force
a delay while the state looks
for an alternate siteBy Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.comThe delay "will give us a window of opportunity to work on finding space, and hopefully they won't ever report to this office," said City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura.
He said he would be seeking city office space if the state cannot find an alternative to the Hawaii Paroling Authority office at 1177 Alakea St. He said state parole officials "were very willing to listen and to work on a solution."
Several parents expressed their fears for daughters who attend the priory school less than a block away, and Royal School, two blocks from the parole board's office.
Children from both schools use bus stops near the office where 340 parolees, including 88 sex offenders, were to begin reporting Monday.
Priory parent Jim Hawkins compared the mix of offenders and schoolgirls to "putting raw meat before caged lions," and a mother later said it was "putting cheesecake before a dieter."
State parole Administrator Tommy Johnson, Yoshimura and state Sen. Rod Tam (D, Downtown-Nuuanu) described a meeting earlier yesterday at which they discussed exploring arrangements that are expected to head off the planned move. But they also sat back to listen to parents angered about the perceived threat to youngsters' safety.
The plan arose because of a state budget deficit that required the agency to move from leased space on Waiakamilo Road, said Johnson. It was intended to be temporary, with no state space available for 120 days.
The parole program will eventually move to a state building in Kapolei, he said.
"We keep a tight rein over this segment of the parole population," he told the parents.
He said sex offenders are required to pass a treatment program before being paroled and that the recidivism rate is 3 percent.
"This is your 3 percent," said Therecia McMurdo, who brought her 8-year-old daughter with her to the microphone. "My daughter Kirsten is not a statistic. It's hard enough to be a parent in the 21st century, to have to worry about known problems, without having to add unknown dangers."
Johnson responded later, saying he understands concerns because he is the parent of a 15-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son.
"We have to see them somewhere," he said of parolees. "The most secure place to see them is in our office."
He pointed out the deputy sheriffs are available next door in the District Court building.
Jeff Rapoza, with two children and five grandchildren at Royal School, said: "A lot of children walk these streets very early in the morning. I stress to my children about being careful about traffic, about not talking to strangers. We worry about the children every day, and now we have another thing to worry about. You say it is temporary ... but still that one day ... or that one hour. Our children are so innocent, it is hard for them to understand why people are what they are."