The Star-Advertiser’s Nov. 3 editorial, “New Oahu jail an urgent necessity,” rightly emphasizes that rehabilitation is more cost-effective than incarceration. However, it uncritically accepts the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (DCR) argument that a new $1.2 billion jail is essential for reform. This flawed reasoning ignores Hawaii’s failure to address the root causes of crime and recidivism. Building a new facility without fundamentally reforming the DCR is like painting a sinking ship.

The $1.2 billion cost — more than double the initial $525 million estimate — represents a shocking misuse of taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, glaring inequities and other urgent needs demand attention: housing shortages, underfunded schools, health disparities and disproportionate impacts on Native Hawaiians remain unaddressed.

DCR’s “new Oahu jail” campaign insists that new construction is necessary for rehabilitation and restorative programming. This argument is flawed. Effective rehabilitation depends on the quality and availability of services, not the age of the buildings. Globally, older facilities with well-designed programs have demonstrated success. Many of us live and function well in older homes, underscoring that infrastructure age is not inherently a barrier.

DCR’s promise of improved rehabilitation through a new jail is undermined by its historical failures to adopt reformative strategies. Instead of prioritizing meaningful change, DCR has focused on construction projects, partnerships with private prison companies, and public relations campaigns. Hiring architecture firms and PR agencies to promote jail construction prioritizes appearances over substance.

The state’s partnerships with private companies to offset rising construction costs also raise ethical concerns. These collaborations favor profits over public welfare. Even industry publications like Construction Today question the wisdom of such arrangements, citing risks associated with shifting public responsibilities to profit-driven entities.

The new Oahu jail project reflects a broader problem: relying on the criminal legal system to address social issues. The proposed jail would primarily house individuals awaiting trial who cannot afford bail, alongside those serving shorter sentences. Many of these individuals are caught in cycles of poverty, addiction and untreated mental health conditions. Rather than addressing these underlying issues, the state proposes spending taxpayer dollars to benefit construction and private prison industries while neglecting its most vulnerable residents.

We have repeatedly urged DCR to adopt evidence-based, cost-effective alternatives for rehabilitation. The Huikahi Reentry Circle, a restorative justice process, has successfully addressed trauma, repaired relationships, reduced recidivism and lowered costs. Despite legislative funding in 2007 and 2022, DCR leadership has largely ignored this initiative, even as it has been successfully replicated elsewhere.

Hawaii must also confront the inequities of cash bail, which disproportionately harm low-income individuals and unnecessarily increase pretrial incarceration. A significant portion of the jail population consists of individuals awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Instead of investing in jail promotion, funds could be used for educating the public about bail reform and implementing systemic changes to reduce inequities and incarceration.

Hawaii’s correctional system suffers more from inadequate investments in education, mental health care and substance abuse treatment than from outdated infrastructure.

Most incarcerated individuals read at an elementary school level and leave custody without improved literacy or job skills. Substance abuse treatment — proven to reduce crime — is often unavailable. These deficiencies stem from systemic neglect, not the age of facilities.

Rather than spending $1.2 billion on a new jail, Hawaii should prioritize investments that address the root causes of crime, including:

Education and vocational training: Equipping individuals with skills to create positive, productive lives.

Mental health and substance abuse treatment: Tackling the underlying conditions that lead to criminal behavior.

Restorative justice programs: Expanding initiatives like ho‘oponopono and Huikahi Reentry Circles to heal communities.

Bail reform: Eliminating cash bail inequities to reduce pretrial incarceration and overcrowding.

What Hawaii truly needs is a commitment to investing in its people. By focusing on education, mental health and restorative justice, we can address systemic inequities and build safer, healthier communities. A $1.2 billion jail is not a solution — it is a distraction from the meaningful reforms necessary to improve the correctional system.

Ian Crabbe is vice chair, Roger Epstein is treasurer and Leela Bilmes Goldstein is chair, respectively, of the Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice (HFRJ). This was co-signed by HFRJ’s Joelle Segawa Kane (board member), Madonna Perez (secretary) and Lorenn Walker (executive director).