SYMPOSIUM ON REHABILITATION FOR INMATES, PREFERRED RELOCATION SITE FOR KAUAʻI COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER
LIHUʻE, KAUAʻI — The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) hosted an event, “Pathways for Reentry from Incarceration: A Community Symposium for the Future of the Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center,” Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, where DCR officials, stakeholders and community members discussed rehabilitation for inmates and potential sites for a new location for KCCC.
The symposium held at the Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center was part of DCR’s ongoing community engagement process to keep the community apprised of rehabilitation efforts for inmates and provide an update on relocation plans for KCCC. DCR Director Tommy Johnson, KCCC Warden Jerry Jona, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami and retired District Judge Edmund Acoba were among the honored guests who participated in the event.
A panel discussion on rehabilitation and reentry services took place where experts addressed how a new facility with space for programs and services would benefit inmates. “Right now, we’re strapped for space,” KCCC Warden Jerry Jona said.
Panelists also discussed that collaboration with government agencies, nonprofit groups and community leaders is essential to effectively reduce recidivism. DCR Director Tommy Johnson said, “In order to be successful, it requires all of us — government, nonprofits, families, and community leaders — working together to align our efforts, resources and focus.”
The relocation project for KCCC was also a main topic discussed at the symposium.
The facility built next to Kuhio Highway is located in a tsunami and flood zone. Severe flooding has been a decades-long problem for the facility.
Jona said, “Relocating to a safer inland location will mitigate the safety risks associated with our current flood-prone location.”
The Department of Transportation’s plans to expand Kūhiō Highway would also remove approximately one-third of the facility property, impacting housing units and parking lot.
In 2024, the state Legislature appropriated $20 million in capital improvement project funds to relocate KCCC and replace it with a new jail and transitional center.
DCR contracted SSFM International, Inc., a consulting and engineering company, to conduct a site selection study. The criteria for the site included acreage size, availability of infrastructure and proximity to support services. Contractors studied several potential sites including areas on government-owned land in Līhuʻe and Hanapēpē and privately-owned land in Līhuʻe.
During the symposium, DCR identified land off Māʻalo Road in Līhuʻe as the preferred site. The land is owned by Grove Farm and located in proximity to the Kaulu I Ka Pono Academy, an education and drug treatment facility for at-risk youth.
Project manager Aaron Wong of SSFM International told attendees that roughly 20 to 30 acres of usable land is available at the site which is also located near support services.
Jona noted that a site with additional acreage would allow for the expansion of much-needed rehabilitation and vocational training programs, therapeutic gardening and skill-building workshops which are proven to reduce recidivism.
Cristy Yokoyama, acting Corrections Program Development Officer of the DCR Reentry Coordination Office and one of the symposium panelists, said, “Adopting a rehabiltiative model with building a new KCCC will aid in lowering recidicivism by increasing an offenderʻs self-esteem and provide them the opportunity to learn marketable job skills, which will lead to increased employment prospects.”
Designing a new KCCC with increased space for programs for substance abuse treatment, education, reentry services as well as upgraded housing units “will foster personal growth which I believe will improve the lives of both the offenders and the community,” Yokoyama added.
Though the Māʻalo Road location has been identified as the preferred site, it is not considered the selected site. If DCR decides to pursue that site, land use entitlement processes would take place to purchase the land from Grove Farm.
Built in 1977, KCCC was originally designed to house up to a dozen inmates. It later expanded to include three cabin-like structures. Today, the facility which currently has a 128-bed capacity houses more than 100 men and women. Pretrial misdemeanants, pretrial felons, sentenced misdemeanants and parole violators are housed at the jail.
Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami acknowledged longstanding issues that KCCC continues to endure. In addition to the flooding problem, “it has become too small for our growing population,” Kawakami said during the symposium.
Johnson said, “What we envision for the next KCCC facility is culturally based programs that are evidence-based, that are restorative.” A safe, secure and humane facility that includes the use of natural light, space for programs, a family-friendly visitation area, integrated courtroom, and gyms for staff and inmates to promote health and wellness are also part of that vision.
A website has been created to inform the community about the KCCC relocation project. For more information, visit: https://ssfm.konveio.com/kccc.
Photos and video of the symposium and KCCC are available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y5l5HNZ_NslaLf3QikHrId_bNenmzkxx?usp=sharing.
Media Contact:
Rosemarie Bernardo
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://dcr.hawaii.gov