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| Feds probe isle youth prison |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 08/30/2004 |
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The U.S. Department of Justice has started a civil rights investigation of Hawaii's troubled youth prison in Kailua, state officials confirmed this weekend. "In conducting the investigation, we are obliged to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or laws of the United States in the conditions at the facility," said a letter that Gov. Linda Lingle received last week. "Our investigation will focus on protecting residents from harm." "We believe that you and other state officials want to operate the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility consistent with the requirements of the Constitution and federal law," it said. The agency did not disclose what prompted the investigation, but said if it finds violations, it will give the state "detailed, written findings and identify the minimum measures we believe are necessary to remedy the violation" and see what financial, technical or other federal assistance is available to help the state correct deficiencies. The federal investigation comes a year after the American Civil Liberties Union, in cooperation with the Lingle administration, inspected the Hawaii Youth Correctional Center in the summer of 2003, resulting in the report of the rape of a female inmate and allegations that teenagers were kept in crowded, unsanitary and brutal conditions. "The fact that the federal Department of Justice has determined that it is appropriate to launch a formal investigation into conditions at HYCF establishes that there are serious concerns about the facility," said Lois Perrin, ACLU-Hawaii legal director. She said the ACLU did not request a federal investigation, but has provided information to the Justice Department. |
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