Hawaii Women Inmates
Otter Creek CorrectionalCenter
CorrectionsCorporationof America, Kenfucky
P.O.Box 500
Wheelwright, Kentucky 41 669

April 24,2008

SenatorWill Espero
Public SafetyCommittee
StateCapitol
Honolulu,Hawaii 96813

Dear SenatorEspero,

We havebeenhousedhere in Kentucky sinceOctober,2005. Early on, we had very
unfortunateincidentshappenregardingmedical care and we were very vocal,
screaming"mistreatment," alerting the news, our families, Kat Brady, really everyone
and anyonewho would listen. We believe that becauseof SarahAh Mau's deathand
our pleas for medical reform, we inadvertentlyfueled legislation to return all Hawaii
women inmateshousedout-of-stateto the islands.
It is now April 2008 and so much has changedfor the better. We attemptedto
explain our views to RepresentativeCindy Evansduring her 2007 visit here at Otter
Creek. Basically, we explainedthat women with shortersentencesor women who
preferredto do their time in Hawaii should be given the option of doing so. Women
with longer sentencesor thosewho are seekingto "program" should be allowed to
remain out-of-state,in this case,here in Kentucky, becausethe programshere are
excellentand will producehighly employableindividualsupon release.
The GED Program,under PrincipalMs. PattyRose,is well-staffedand since
2005, they have graduatedon average,20 Hawaiians ayear.. Mr. Jerry Tackett
supervisesthe Microsoft Office SpecialistProgram,which graduatesnationally
recognizedcertified MS Office operators. With so many in the community (and the
world, for that matter) "going green," the Horticulture Departmentsupervisedby Mr.
Jack Howard will graduateand certify individuals in this rapidly growing field. Mr.
John Meade, supervisorand instructor for ConstructionManagementcertifies women
in Tools for Success,Introduction to Crew Leading,Project Supervisionand Project
Management. Mr. Donald Hatfield, supervisorand instructor for the Carpentry
Departmentgraduateswomen who upon releasewill be eligible for apprenticeshipin
this field.

PageI of 6

Chief of Security Tina Hodge, Warden III now overseesthe Medical Unit, which
in the past 2 yearshas taken stridesin improving their health care services. We were
seriously afraid of this departmentat one point, but they have since changedsomeof
their personneland modified proceduresfor the better.
Otter Creek also has a ResidentialDrug and Alcohol Programwhich has
graduatedand clinically dischargedan averageof 10-15Hawaiiansper each9-month
treatmentprogram. Those who have graduatedwill attestto the successof this
program,the recidivismrate is low amongstthesegraduates.The basisof RDAP's
success(especiallyfor the Hawaiians)is that for nine months,thesewomen are
separatedfrom GeneralPopulation,as well as being 5,000 miles away from the
islands,they are completely out of their elementand any temptations. By the time
they graduateand are back in GP, they are more self-assuredand confident about
being clean and sober. By the time they return to Hawaii, they are emotionally
strongerand can reasonablyand cognitively deal with the temptationof "old haunts"
and "friends.". Thesewomen will tell you that they are far more capableof reuniting
with children and family, becausethey were given an opporfunity to deal with
themselves,first!
We have accessto excellentreligiousand spiritual counseling.ChaplainRandy
Hagan has set-upnightly church servicesof different denominationsand an open
religiousmaterialslibrary during the work week. Ms. ShonnaNewsomeis the
supervisorof the law and leisurelibraries,to which we have accessMonday through
Saturday.
As far as recreationis concerned,we have a well-stocked gym, organrzedsports
(volleyball, softball),accessto hobby and craftsmaterials,board games,cards,
regularbingo games,stepaerobicsclasses,exercisemachines,a baseballfield that
doublesas a walking track, etc.. The beautysalonis also apart of the gym. We have
Mr. Delmas Johnsonand Mr. Jimmy Stumbowho both have exerciseda whole lot of
patiencein keeping all theseactivities regular and ongoing. They have been
instrumentalin helping us keep our culture very much alive through regular hula
practicesand KamehamehaDay performances.
We areupon the l lth anniversaryof the lst group of 64Hawaii womenbeing
"shipped" to Crystal City, Texas(May 1997),becauseof the overcrowdingin the
Hawaii prisons. It took much discussionand legislationat that time for the Governor
to approvesuch a move; separatingmothersfrom their children. At that time and for
severalyears,the conceptof mothersbeing housedso far away from their children
was met with very little public sympathy. Thesewomen (*e) have adaptedand
have grown accustomedto this mannerof incarcerationand really, we mature socially
(perhapsit's becausewe must learn to live in other cultures)and return to Hawaii
with a betterchanceof successfulsocialintegration.
Overall,this processof being housedout-of-statehas evolvedinto a"way of life."
Sadllrand historicallls.the problem with overcrowdinsis that it will happenaeain.
Page2 of 6

What then? Do we spendmore money getting housedat FDC, or will we needto reintroduce legislation AGAIN to look out-of-state?
SenatorEspero,we are finding it very difficult to believe that there is current
legislationthat could undo previouslegislation(1997)that is finally showing
promise. Pleasedo not let this happen. It doesnot seemfeasible,especiallyof late,
with the economy on the downslide. Pleasetalk to your constituentsand help get our
messageacross. Sincethis is happening,the extra money can, instead,be used
towards improvementsat WCCC, the creationof furlough houses,or communitybasedhousing,or more satellitetime to "visit" with our families and friends.
Hawaii can and needsto be proud of the fact that it has developeda cost savings
meansof incarcerationthat is also producing women with a higher than high school
level of educationwith a betterchanceof being contributingmembersof society.
We believethat whetherwe are to serveour time in Hawaii or out-of-state,should
be a choice to those who have shortersentencesand are program compliant; and more
or lessmandatoryfor thosewith longer prison terms andl or to thosewho needthe
programsoffered in order to fulfiII parole requirements. According to our most
recentinformation,Hawaii pays CCA $56.00per head,per diem for eachof us
(approximately$20,000 eachper year); in Kentucky. All the previously mentioned
programsare inclusiveof the $56.00. If we were to be broughtback to Hawaii,
housedat WCCC in Kailua, where accessto programming is minimal and recreation
or movementis "controlled", it would cost the statesomewherebetween$ 100 to
$120 per inmate,per diem (approximately$41,000eachper year). The other option
for housing in Hawaii would be the FederalDetention Center,where it would cost
$80 per head,per diem, not including ANY programming(approximately$29,000
eachper year). It is not cost effectiveto houseus all in Hawaii.
SenatorEspero,we are askingyou to pleasesupportus in our plea to keep at least
a fixed amountof Hawaii women herein the states(100-120). We realizetherewill
be less that 2 weeksbeforethis legislativesessionis over and we are scramblingto
persuadeyou and your constifuentsto changeyour platform before it's over.
The undersignedare the majority of women housedhere in Kentucky. We are all
in agreementthat Hawaii should housewomen inmates in Kentucky for programming
and long-termsentences.
Print Name and DOC No.

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Cc: SenatePresidentColleenHanabusa
Marcus Oshiro,SenateFinance
Chairman Roz Baker, Ways and Means Committee
HousePresidentMr. Calvin Say
Cynthia Evans,Public SafetyCommittee
Representative
Kat Brady, Inmate Advocate
Clayton Frank,Director of Public Safety,Hawaii
Shari Kimoto, Mainland Branch Director, DPS
Howard Komori, ContractMonitor, Hawaii DPS
GovernorLinda Lingle, Hawaii
Lt. GovernorJames"Duke" Aiona
WardenPatterson;Women's Community CorrectionalCenter,Hawaii
WardenJeff Little; Otter Creek CorrectionalCenter,Kentucky
Kevin Dayton,Honolulu Advertiser,Big Island BureauChief
ACLU of Hawaii

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