LIHU‘E — More than 65 elected prosecutors including Kauai Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like have pledged to visit local correctional facilities to get a better understanding of conditions and implications of incarceration.
Like also promised to make all of her deputy prosecuting attorneys also visit a facility where folks they prosecuted and sent to jail are lodged.
“During the pandemic-related lockdowns, it became impossible to ignore the isolation and neglect of incarcerated individuals,” Like said in a statement. “As law enforcement officers, it is critical that our deputy prosecutors witness the consequences of incarceration firsthand.
“Jails on the continent, as well as here on Kaua‘i, continue to be plagued with overcrowding and a lack of continuity of medical care and mental health treatment,” she said.
“Humane treatment and access to services for incarcerated individuals translates to increased public safety. Having our staff know the implications of a jail sentence clarifies why individuals reoffend and facilitates tailoring probation, supervision and treatment to set individuals up for success,” she said.
No timetable was announced for the prosecutors’ visits.
“It is vital for prosecutors to understand the true impact of their decisions and to see firsthand the jails, prisons and juvenile facilities in their jurisdiction,” stated a release announcing the nationwide initiative.
Each year, there are over 10 million jail admissions and around 600,000 people are sent to prison. Prosecutors have immense influence over whether someone becomes incarcerated and for how long, but far too many only have an abstract idea of what these facilities are really like.
As more prosecutors implement reforms to help reduce jail and prison populations, it is critical that they and their staff develop a deep understanding of correctional facilities — including how isolating, dehumanizing and unsafe conditions can impact an individual’s rehabilitation efforts and in turn, the safety of the communities to which they return.
“It’s hard to grasp how incarceration can cause irreparable harm to people if you haven’t seen the inside of an American prison or jail,” said Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution.
”Yet, every day across the country, prosecutors who’ve never stepped foot in these facilities are making decisions that significantly impact whether someone will be removed from their community and sent to spend time behind bars,” said Krinsky.
