HAWAII PRISON STATS NEED EXPLANATION

As a probation official in Michigan for 12 years, I read your Jan. 23
editorial, "Higher recidivism rate raises costs to state, society," with
great interest. Public Safety Director James Propotnick's statistics, as
cited in the editorial, are flawed. He says 90 percent of those incarcerated
on the mainland return to Hawaii to commit more crimes. Statistically,
across the nation, only 5 percent of the criminals released after their 35th
birthdays are recidivists. Age and maturity are the primary "rehabilitation"
factors nationwide.

The more interesting statistic, if true, indicts the entire financing of
Hawaii's prison system. If it costs 20 percent more to live in Hawaii than
on the mainland, why does our prison system claim it costs 80 percent more
to house prisoners here? Our state officials should demand an explanation of
this obvious misspending.

With respect to lack of family support when prisoners are housed on the
mainland, in a large majority of cases it was the lack of proper family
support that led to criminal behavior in the first place. And unless the
prison itself has a drug culture, prisoners housed anywhere for at least six
months are "cured" of any drug problems they may have because they are clean
long enough to lose a habit or an addiction.

Larry Weis

Aiea