Last week I wrote about restorative justice. Kaua‘i Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho has submitted information about a restorative justice program that she created for adults. It is called the P.O.H.A.K.U. program, and stands for Productive Optimism Helps All Kaua‘i Unite.
Last week I wrote about restorative justice. Kaua‘i Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho has submitted information about a restorative justice program that she created for adults.
It is called the P.O.H.A.K.U. program, and stands for Productive Optimism Helps All Kaua‘i Unite. The first class graduated on Jan. 7, 2011, and a second was scheduled to begin earlier this month. The participants are diverted from Kaua‘i District Court for traffic offenses and petty misdemeanor types of cases. They learn life skills to help them:
• discover how to change negative thoughts
• learn what influences their behavior
• understand what causes conflict
• learn conflict resolution
• learn about the negative effects of drugs and alcohol
• learn Hawaiian values that relate to living pono.
P.O.H.A.K.U. includes culturally based education and provides restorative justice to victims, in which victims’ rights are respected and they have a say as to whether or not they are in favor of having the defendant participate in the program.
Non-violent offenders have the opportunity to give back to the community that they have offended in a meaningful way, in order to repair or restore the community.
P.O.H.A.K.U. in the Hawaiian language means rock or stone and is symbolic of strength. To change criminal behavior, one must take full responsibility and make a sincere decision to turn one’s life around. It takes hard work, persistence and a continual commitment to self-improvement through learning better ways to live. This gives hope for the future of our community as the participants become productive citizens.
Classes teach the participants Hawaiian family values. They perform culturally sensitive community service and pay for damages if applicable. This is instead of facing conviction, the punishment of fines, probation, and/or incarceration.
If the program requirements are met, the participants clear their arrest records with a case dismissal. Everyone benefits, as the participants become wiser and more marketable, and the County of Kaua‘i will save money by eliminating numerous court hearings. Thank you, Ms. Iseri-Carvalho for your vision for our community.
Many restorative justice systems require community service of some kind. This is because when criminal activity occurs, the entire community is affected. Can you imagine what it would be like if no one broke the law? Police departments would be able to cut down their number of employees. They would continue to serve and protect us, but not from each other! Police costs and court costs would go way down.
We also wouldn’t have to pay for the various programs created to rehabilitate those who just forget that we all matter, and put their needs before the greater whole. Prices in stores would go down because they wouldn’t have to make up for losses from stolen merchandise. Parks would improve because no one would vandalize them, so new equipment could be purchased rather than replacing or repairing vandalized equipment. Emergency rooms wouldn’t be as crowded. People would be able to walk safely and peacefully without fear of someone hurting them. There are a lot of good reasons why we should help each other become law-abiding citizens. Our laws are made by citizens to help us all live together peacefully.
Assigning community service to people who have broken the law is a way they can “pay back” the community in some way.
Maybe they will clean an area or repair a damaged park rather than paying county employees to do it. Maybe they will weed and tend to municipal gardens, clean buildings or wash county vehicles. And hopefully while they are working, they are learning that we are all affected by the bad and the good choices of everyone in our community. Help your friends to make good choices, and if you don’t know how, you can learn about it in next week’s column.
The ‘In Your Corner’ team comprises the leadership of the island’s government, court, police, education, family and social services communities. Contact Annaleah Atkinson with your questions or comments at aatkinson@haleopio.org.
