30 Aug 2011

FSM citizens costing Hawaii over a million dollars in jail and court costs

10:46 am on 30 August 2011

The state of Hawaii spent over one million US dollars on jail and court costs in 2010 for islanders from the Freely Associated States.

The Public Safety department and Judiciary data was included as part of a state report to the Department of Interior.

The report showed Hawaii spent over 114 million US dollars on all services islanders from the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau in 2010.

The report was submitted this month by Hawaii's Governor Neil Abercrombie who is seeking reimbursement from the U.S. federal government.

The paper said tt cost Public Safety over 872 thousand US dollars in 2010 to handled the more than 2,117 FAS citizens arrested and the 249 in jail.

The Hawaii state Judiciary said it spent over 132 thousand dolars on translation costs in 2010 - a nearly 100 percent increase since 2006.