COM 0184.032 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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budget shortfalls. Thus seven years has passed without any adjustment in the attorney salary ordinance. In 1993, the Hawaii State Bar Association did a comparative study between the compensation plans for private and government sector attorneys. While this study is dated, it clearly reflects the need to adjust the salaries of the deputy prosecutors in order to retain experienced deputy prosecuting attorneys. In comparison to the Public Defender's Offices, deputy prosecutors are paid at a lower rate. This needs to be changed as soon as possible. In addition to a lower rate of pay than their counterparts, the deputy prosecutors have reduced their vacation accumulation and per diem in order to meet budget projections. The 1993 study also reveals that the public sector attorney also enjoys a higher ratio of support personnel. Except for clerical support, this office has experienced a 50% reduction in investigative support for the Career Criminal Program and in Counselor I positions. This has impacted our ability to provide a consistent level of support to the deputy prosecutors. The Career Criminal and Victim/Witness Programs are State Programs and their budget reflects only salaries. In House Bill 965 and Senate Bill 1037, we requested grant-in-aid to supplement funds set aside in ATG100. The amounts set aside in ATG100 are not sufficient to operate the program as set out by statute.b We will be starting a new program under the Byrne Memorial Fund to address crimes committed against children. These crimes range from sexual assault to physical abuse. This is an area of concern not only to this office, but the community Not only are violent offenders younger, but their victims are also young. In 1992, children under 18 suffered an estimated 2.2 million violent crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, and assault (Snyder and Sickmund, 1995). In the area of child abuse, Hawaii County had the highest confirmed rate of child abuse and neglect with 31`% of the State's total. The rate of confirmed child abuse and neglect in the State is climbing. A 1993 report of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reports that "...behavioral factors that contribute to serious, violent and chronic juvenile crime are delinquent peer groups, poor school performance, high crime neighborhoods, weak family attachments, lack of consistent discipline, and physical or sexual abuse." This program will focus on a area of crime which shows up as a consistent factor in subsequent behavioral issues for the community and leaves a trail of broken lives. Sexual Assault continues to be an area of concern and we have supported the Sexual Asult Nurse Examiners (SANE) program. A request is currently pending with the Attorney General to fund a coordinator for the Big Island. The Council played an integral part in establishing the first SANE program in the State. This office has continued to refine the victim notification system, and in 1996 5689 notices were generated.