Complaint Against Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility

R.G., an individual; C.P., an individual by and through her next friend, A.W.; and J.D., an individual v. Lillian Kohler, Director of the State Department of Human Services, et al.

The complaint describes conditions at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) and describes the types of physical and verbal abuse alleged by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) youth incarcerated at the facility. A federal class action suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii on October 24, 2005 after repeated calls on authorities to take action to correct the abusive environment. 

This case was decided on February 8, 2006 by federal district judge J. Michael Seabright. The state agreed to a settlement, without admitting wrongdoing, to develop standards to protect GLBT youth. Within four months of the settlement date, the state will conduct criminal background checks on the employees who worked with the plaintiffs. 

The provisions of the settlement allow three years to implement the protective standards. The state agreed to: 

• Develop suicide prevention and intervention procedures
  
  
• Protect wards from physical and sexual abuse
  
  
• Increase staff employment to improve supervision