PUBLIC SAFETY 
KEEPING HAWAI'I SAFE.

Safety first.

 

Everyone should feel safe in Hawai'i. Yet, our state has failed to address the complex issue of criminal justice reform in a way that protects our neighborhoods, while promoting programs that reduce recidivism. 

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My father started a program called Adult Friends for Youth, which helped disadvantaged keiki, many of whom were in gangs or had broken the law. For about $5,000 per year, the nonprofit helped troubled youth turn their lives around, attend college, and obtain meaningful employment.

 

To promote public safety, we should invest in programs that provide prevention and early intervention for disadvantaged individuals, especially disadvantaged children, so that they are placed on a pathway toward success. Additionally, I support programs that help inmates build useful skills, like vocational training programs that allow people to rehabilitate their lives and join the workforce upon release. 

 

Finally, we need to fund mental health and drug counseling initiatives that target the emotional and addiction-related concerns that often drive criminal activity. I will advocate for strong transitional programs for those leaving incarceration, stabilization facilities at health care centers for individuals overcoming drug dependency, and support services for children who exiting the foster care system.