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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:35 a.m., Monday, September 20, 2004

No date given on transfer of female inmates to Utah

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

The state Office of Youth Services would not say today when six girls housed at the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility will be transferred to an unnamed juvenile detention facility in Utah.

State officials last week said the transfer would be for 60 days and would allow the Office of Youth Services time to repair a building and relieve overcrowded housing conditions at HYCF.

Members of the faith and social services community planned to gather this morning outside the state Capitol to rally against the planned transfer.

"If there are only six girls, it's unbelievable they can't be accommodated," said the Rev. Sam Cox, treasurer of the Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii, one of the organizations opposing the transfer.

Cox said that he and others have heard that the transfer would take place today, but Sharon Agnew, director of the Office of Youth Services, said she could not disclose scheduling or other details.

"At this point we have no comment on the days of the transfer," Agnew said. "For security reasons, we would not do that, and we want to respect the situation for the girls."

Kat Brady, legislative coordinator for the Hawaii Juvenile Justice Project, said the response from the community has been a flood of e-mails calling the Office of Youth Services plan "outrageous."

"We know that in Hawaiian culture, strength is family, and since their mission is to strengthen families, what the heck are they doing?" Brady said. "Have they done any work to help the parents prepare?"

Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.