Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1997 — Hawaiians in the criminal justice system [ARTICLE]

Hawaiians in the criminal justice system

From its beginning, I have read Ka Wai Ola o OHA with great interest. I have never written a letter to you because I am not a native Hawaiian, and because I feel that you present as many varied facts and issues as you possibly ean. You are to be commended upon the growth of the only Hawaiian nupepa we have. However, I wish to eomment on the article, "Native Hawaiians in the Criminal ]ustice System," 'lanuali 1997, on the part discussed by Mahealani Kamau'u, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. She refers to "...strong Hawaiian men who, when taken away from their culture are broken..." There are many more Hawaiian men who don't get taken away from their culture because they have learned the work ethic, have leamed to stand on their own feet, who

have learned to compete in our society, who have learned to live today's lifestyle successfully. They have not lost Hawaiian values just because they must live, work and survive in the world. I know this because I am married to a native Hawaiian who grew up in Kalihi and was taught by his Christian parents to be a responsible human being, to find his own "plaee" in society, to be successful in his life. This is true of his brothers and sisters, his friends too. This is also true of the many students who have graduated from any of our loeal schools, public and private, and who have succeeded in life without losing their basic Hawaiian cultural values, thanks to their parents and teachers. I know this, too, because I have been a teacher in Hawai'i for many years. Betty Woodward, Wahiawa

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