Posted on: Thursday, March 4, 2004

ISLAND VOICES
Youths in prison deserve better

By The Rev. Sam Cox et al.

The Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility and its impact on those who live and work there came into the spotlight last summer when overcrowded conditions and systemwide problems caught the public's attention.

Some of the problems were shocking, such as the denial of all reading and writing materials except for a Bible, alleged beatings and assaults by some of the guards there, and male guards overseeing female wards. Others were overwhelmingly depressing, such as the lack of access to basic and appropriate programming, visitation by family, and timely medical and mental healthcare.

We realize there are hard-working and committed staff at the facility who truly care about the well-being of the youths in their custody. And we realize that this is a situation that Office of Youth Services executive director Sharon Agnew inherited when she took the helm in February last year.

Nevertheless, there are serious problems at the HYCF that need the attention of the entire community if we are to both increase public safety and increase the success rate of the youths, who will all return to their communities someday. Do we want them filled with anger and desperation or with dreams and hopes for the simple experiences common to young adults who are nurtured and cherished?

The Hawai'i Juvenile Justice Project is striving for a statewide collaboration of government, private groups and community members, all of whom would like to see a better functioning juvenile justice system. If by the end of the year, these groups are at the table and engaged, that would be quite an achievement.

The project, over the next several months, will be holding a series of public meetings statewide to raise awareness about juvenile justice and how improving conditions for incarcerated youths benefits their communities and families. Our first public forum will be tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Blaisdell Center Pikake Room auditorium.

For more information on the forum's admission, contact the Hawai'i Juvenile Justice Project at 522-5906 (Honolulu) or toll free at 1-888-522-5904 (Neighbor Islands).

This was written by The Rev. Sam Cox of the Interfaith Alliance of Hawai'i; Gail Gnazzo of Maui Youth and Family Services; Annabel Murray of Na Keiki Law Center-Volunteer Legal Services Hawai'i; and Jory Watland and Vanessa Chong of the ACLU of Hawai'i.