The Lingle administration's plans for a new prison to be run in a private partnership with the state have resurfaced, but both Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona are vague about the specifics. Lingle says Aiona
working on new prison plans
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By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comDuring a ceremony yesterday at the state Civil Defense headquarters, Lingle said Aiona is working on a new prison proposal that would involve a private or nonprofit organization. She also said it would be one prison and not two, as she had called for during her campaign.
At a news conference after her election in November, Lingle said she had new information about a prison proposal pushed by Dr. Terry Shintani, co-founder of the Hawaii Health Foundation.
Shintani is creator of the Hawaii Diet, developed to help overweight native Hawaiians slim down and control chronic illnesses such as diabetes by returning to ancient eating habits involving whole foods and few meat or dairy products.
Yesterday, neither Lingle nor Aiona would say specifically what the new prison was designed to do or where it would be placed.
"It is highly likely to involve not just the private corporate sector, but will involve the private nonprofit sector as well," Lingle said. "It is in development right now; it is a new approach."
The administration is allowed to start negotiations to build a prison thanks to legislation approved last year.
Former Gov. Ben Cayetano attempted to complete negotiations with a private group to build a prison next to the Halawa medium-security prison complex that would have replaced Oahu Community Correctional Center in Kalihi.
Yesterday, Lingle and Aiona said their new plan was not related to replacing OCCC.
"A year from now we may deal with it. The RFP (request for proposals) and his (Aiona's) idea is not meant as a replacement for the Kalihi facility. It is how to deal with all the people being shipped out of Hawaii, how to deal with all the people who really need treatment rather than just incarceration," Lingle said.
Aiona said the administration had "nothing to hide" with its prison plans but was not ready to reveal them.
"It is a matter of getting the parties together. We haven't done that yet. We have spoken to a few people here and there, but as far as specifics are concerned, we haven't dealt with it.
"I would feel more comfortable talking to you about it in a couple of weeks," Aiona said.
"We are talking about a different approach in terms of the prison population," he said.
"I don't even want to use the term 'prison,'" Aiona said. "I like to use a word like facility or program; that is what we want to develop, not a prison."
The Lingle administration is asking for an increase to the state's prison budget because of severe overcrowding and repairs needed to poorly maintained facilities.
In testimony this week, prison officials told legislators that the Halawa prison, which was designed to hold 580 prisoners, now sometimes holds more than 1,000.
Also, the prison's fire protection system has been rated as "unacceptable," according to a survey done by a national fire protection association, prison officials said.
"Halawa no longer meets the requirements for the Life Safety Codes," Public Safety Department testimony delivered yesterday said.
The Halawa prison needs sprinklers, fire alarms and standpipes, according to the report.
If the improvements are not made, "the state will face serious liability if there is a fire," the testimony stated.
The administration is calling for an additional $6.5 million for prison facilities in the next two years.
