reentry bac pac moment with happy and hopeful paahao being release being greeted by the Warden, Makana Ministries, and Keoki with Community Reentry Support Group.
THE COMMUNITY REENTRY SUPPORT GROUP
To our brothers and sisters returning home in Hawaii from jail or prison,
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10: 40–42 that when we welcome and care for one another, we are also welcoming him. Even the smallest kindness, like a cup of cold water, or reentry bac pac, is seen by God and blessed. That means your return – reentry matters, your life matters, and you are not forgotten.
This reentry backpack is given with aloha from many churches, friends, and members of the “community reentry support group”. We are here to pray for you, encourage you, and stand beside you as you begin again. May this be a sign that you are welcomed, supported, and loved as you start a new life.
We pray for safe housing, steady work, healing, peace, and strength for each step ahead. We pray that you will find people who treat you with dignity and help you move forward. As you reenter the community, may you know that hope is still possible and that God is with you.
You are receiving more than a backpack. You are receiving a message of welcome, prayer, and support from people who believe in second chances.
Jesus said in Matthew 10: 40-42
40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Halawa Correctional Facility
is the largest state prison in Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu in Aiea.
Warden Shannon Cluney was selected for the position by the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (formerly the Department of Public Safety) and took office on January 3, 2023. Cluney brings over 30 years of correctional experience to the role, having previously served as the Deputy Chief of Prisons for the Idaho Department of Corrections before moving to Hawaii’s prison system.
History and Structure
- Origins: The special needs division opened in 1962 as the City and County Halawa Jail and transferred to state control in 1977.
- Expansion: The newer medium-security division opened in 1987.
- Layout: It operates two main divisions: a medium-security unit for male felons and a special needs unit housing maximum-custody, protective-custody, and inmates with severe medical or mental health needs.
Services and Programs
- Rehabilitation: Offers educational classes, GED prep, college courses, and substance abuse or sex offender treatment.
- Work Opportunities: Inmates can work in facility maintenance, food service, laundry, or through Correctional Industries.
- Cultural Focus: Incorporates local Hawaiian healing and cultural programs to support inmate growth and transition.
90 % of all incarcerated in Hawaii will be released from prison eventually. Here men being released from Halawa with paper clothes, being greeted and welcomed by Dr. Kahu Haaheo Guanson.
