Are Native Hawaiians getting a fair shake under the US occupation? New numbers show that 40% of all prisoners in Hawai`i are Native Hawaiians, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) says that's no coincidence.
A blind-folded lady is the symbol of justice in the US, but OHA says a study by a non-profit group shows that justice is not blind towards Native Hawaiians....
But, a new study by the justice policy institute in Washington DC suggests that Native Hawaiians are more likely to be sent to prison and for longer periods of time than other ethnic communities....
The study also found that Native Hawaiians don't use drugs more than other races, but go to prison more for drug offenses. Richard Naiwieha Wurdeman says he's seen it during his 17 years representing Native Hawaiian defendants.
"Our society can't stand for such disparate treatment" said Wurdeman.
According to the report, half of people serving prison terms in Hawai`i are housed in mainland facilities. Statistics show broken families, isolated by incarceration, often perpetuate the cycle. In Hawai`i, 50 percent of youth in juvenile facilities are Native Hawaiian....
"The result of institutional racism is what we're having in our juvenile criminal system" said attorney Yuklin Aluli.
The number of Native Hawaiians in the women's correctional facility jumps to as high as 85%....
