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Juvenile sex-offender
facility sparks outcry

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Pearl City residents have begun organizing to block a juvenile sex-offender treatment facility slated for Waimano Training School and Hospital.

A standing-room-only crowd of about 300 jammed the Pearl City Cultural Center near the Waimano facility last night to oppose the plan during about 2 hours of often heated discussion.

Toward the end of the meeting, state Rep. Noboru Yonamine, who conducted the meeting, asked if they wanted the facility. A thundering, resounding "No!" was the answer. "All right, who wants it?" he asked. There was silence.

This morning, Gov. Ben Cayetano said the state was not going to change the plans. Now, some youths are sent to mainland institutions where it costs the state between $60,000 and $100,000 each per year, according to Bruce Anderson, state health director, and their rehabilitation could be handled here.

"We are asking for the understanding of the people in Pearl City," Cayetano said.

State Health Department speakers said at last night's meeting that the secure facility would be no threat to the community and would provide mental health treatment for males ages 12-17 who have demonstrated inappropriate sexual behavior and have taken advantage of others.

The facility -- a half-mile from Pearl City High School -- would handle as many as 10 such individuals at a time.

Treatment in Hawaii is part of a federal court order, the Felix consent decree, that requires the state to provide community-based mental health services for youth and adolescents.

Activities would include therapy, education and recreation. Meals would be provided on site.

The site was chosen as the Department of Health owns the land and the program is consistent with previous site use at Waimano.

"The kids on this program are not sexual predators," said Doug Miller, assistant chief of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division.

What is proposed is a 10-bed therapeutic treatment center, he said. "The kids will receive their education on site, not in the public schools. The teacher will come in." Staff will work in three shifts, 24 hours a day, he said.

Residents also complained the community was not notified the plan was in the works and that it is now treated as a "done deal."

They said they worry that eventually the program will expand and have far more than just 10 sex offenders there. Knowing such people are near will keep the community on edge, they said.

Paul Suyama, vice president of the Pearl City Community Association, read an official association statement opposing the facility. The association has a petition in opposition with nearly 3,000 names on it, all gathered in about five days, he said.