Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 10, 1 October 2003 — Prison abuse [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Prison abuse

I am a prisoner serving time at Hālawa Correctional Facility. On July 15 and 16, 40 prisoners, including myself, were ordered out of our eell into the recreation yard by prison guards. For nearly an hour, we had to sit with our hands cuffed behind our backs. When ordered back to our eell, we learned that deputies used dogs to sniff through our living quarters that were ransacked like a tornado whirled through. We could not shower as the cold water and toilets were turned off all night, forcing us

to drink warm water and having to use the toilet without flushing. But I never knew what they were looking for. I always thought that prisoners are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment. But upon entering the prison gate, many prisoners suffer physical and psychological abuse in the hands of some prison staff. The shake-down was a waste of time and taxpayers' money. It was also a form of harassment, causing all 40 prisoners physical and psychological injuries. Lael Samonte Hālawa

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Ka I fo Kaiāiii i)