Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I would like to know why it takes Halawa Prison two months going on three months to give a book I sent via Borders bookstore in February, to my spouse? Furthermore, to be lied to by officials there, saying they never received it. I have full documentation stating it was signed for. I realize it has to go through inspection first, then to the office to make a book list. But I called one day, they said they had it, then I called two days later to follow up and they said they never received it. Is that considered mail tampering, if my spouse never got it? Misstep prompts
prison to change
mail policyAnswer: Shortly after you contacted us, your husband was transferred to Florence Correctional Center in Arizona.
However, Theodora Leatumauga, the prison's business manager, said the book has since been sent and received by your husband (just this past Friday).
"We sincerely apologize for the incorrect information given (you) regarding the receipt" of the book, she said. Because of your experience, changes have been made to procedures to expedite mailroom processing, she said.
The book was forwarded directly by Borders to the prison on Feb. 15. However, because of staff shortages, "the enormous quantity of daily mail" and inadequate training of interim staff, the book was not processed as it should have been, Leatumauga said.
In the past, the procedure was for an inmate to send a book request to his counselor. If the counselor approved the book, the order would be forwarded to the mailroom, where a second book list was made, she said. Then, when the book came in, the counselor would have to reapprove the list.
"I thought that was a redundant step," Leatumauga said. Now, "As long as the counselor approves it that one time, that's all the mailroom needs. So once they have that, the book comes in, they make a property slip, fill it out, then they have the counselor pick up the book and deliver it to the inmate."
In your husband's case, the book was pending final review and delivery by a case manager when he was transferred to Arizona on May 16, she said.
Telemarketing tips
Last Thursday's column about annoying telemarketing calls prompted a couple of readers to both suggest using an answering machine to screen calls.
Linda Liddell of Kaunakakai, Molokai, wrote: "Let the machine catch ALL calls. You can answer once you hear who it is." You also end up with a record of times the calls come and even make a record of hang-ups, she said.
"And, the best part is, if you are disabled, you don't hurt yourself trying to get to the phone. Generally there is a code or way of getting past the message and you can give that to friends and family," Liddell said.
An unnamed male caller said his family has been using an answering machine to screen calls since 1995. "We have found this significantly diminishes the number of unwanted solicitations," he said.
"All our friends know we do screen," he said. "This is very impersonal, but there are so many loopholes in the telemarketing act, and with random and automatic calling, nothing else seems work."
All that jazz
Abe Weinstein, executive director of the Hawaii International Jazz Festival, is looking for volunteers to help stage the 8th annual festival July 19-22 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall and McKinley High School.The non-profit organization needs help with everything from transportation, postering, equipment and meeting-and-greeting people, he said. Interested? Call him at 941-9974 or e-mail at aewjazz1@aol.com.
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com