Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 11, 1 November 2004 — Mainlanel prisons better [ARTICLE]

Mainlanel prisons better

I am an inmate serving time at the Hālawa Correctional Facility in Honolulu, Hawai'i. I am writing to comment on the survey on sending Hawai'i inmates to prisons on the mainland ( Ka Wai Ola o OHA, October 2004). I've been locked up for nearly 16 years. Honestly, sending Hawai'i inmates to private operated prisons on the mainland is the best thing that ever happened for them, their families and all taxpayers. It cost a lot less to house our inmates on the mainland. And our inmates are provided with a lot more rehabilitative programs and privileges. And those private operators will go an extra 10 miles to accommodate the Hawai'i inmates, at no extra cost. The state of Hawai'i has been in control of our prisons for many, many decades, with too little or nothing to offer. Their ways of rehabilitation are centuries behind in time. Decades of failure! We'll all miss our families and loved ones, but we need to make wise decisions for the better. Otherwise, we'll be stuck in our state prison system for the rest of our lives, IN and OUT! Lael Samonte Hālawa, O'ahu OHA reserves the right īo ed.it all \etters for length, defamatory and libelous materiaJ, and other objectionable eonīenī, and reserves the right not to print any submission. AU \etters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Letters eannoī be published unless they are signed and include a īelephone contact for verification. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola o OHA, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Ste. 500, Honolulu, HI 96813, or email kwo@oha.org. ■