Family Court Monitoring Project     Victim Safety in Hawaii

League of Women Voters of Honolulu
Report

Summary     Introduction     Data     Observations     Statute     Glossary     References  
Domestic Violence
Family Court Monitoring Project

OBSERVATIONS


  • Most persons convicted under HRS Section 709-906 serve only the mandatory minimum of 48 hours of jail time.

  • Many persons arrested for HRS Section 709-906 violations agree to plead to a lesser offense, usually HRS Section 707-712, assault in the 3rd degree, and serve no jail time.

  • There are few serious penalties for batterers in Hawaii who fail to comply with the requirements of their sentences.

  • Many alleged victims, who would be complaining witnesses at a trial, will not participate in the proceedings.

  • Plea bargains mask the actual acts of defendants and result in lesser sentences than would otherwise be required by HRS Section 709-906.

  • Probation is routinely part of a Section 709-906 sentence and more than half of defendants sentenced fail to fulfill the conditions of probation.

     

    No recommendations are included in this report.

    The League of Women Voters will continue its study of domestic violence.

Summary     Introduction     Data     Observations     Statute     Glossary     References  

League of Women Voters of Honolulu
49 South Hotel Street, Rm #314
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
(808) 531-7448 • Fax (808) 599-5669