Injunction Sought To Protect Gay Teen Inmates

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Injunction Sought To Protect Gay Teen Inmates

(Honolulu, Hawaii) The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday asked a federal court to order Hawaii's juvenile detention facility to take immediate action to halt harassment and abuse of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender wards.

If the court grants the preliminary injunction it would force Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) to implement policies and training to protect LGBT youth in its care.

"The gay and transgender wards in the state's care desperately need protection from the atmosphere of harassment and fear they deal with on a daily basis," said Lois Perrin, Legal Director of the ACLU of Hawaii.

"Waiting for the lawsuit to resolve itself before acting on the rampant problems at this facility would only leave these youth in danger, and we believe there's ample evidence to persuade the court to compel the state to act now to insure the safety of those children."

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Injunction Sought To Protect Gay Teen Inmates

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1. At least the Star Bulletin has reported on it

ACLU urges protection of gays in youth prison

The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a federal court to order the state youth prison to implement policies and training immediately to prevent physical and verbal abuse of gay inmates.

"The environment at this facility right now is so hostile and unsafe for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth that it's literally life-threatening," said Tamara Lange, attorney for the ACLU's national Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, one of several lawyers representing three prisoners in a civil rights lawsuit filed against state officials and individual guards last month.

The lawsuit -- filed Sept. 1 on behalf of a 17-year-old male-to-female transgendered prisoner, an 18-year-old lesbian inmate and an 18-year-old male prisoner perceived to be gay -- alleged "a campaign of unrestrained harassment, abuse and other maltreatment" by the youth corrections officers and staff at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Kailua.

But Lois Perrin, the legal director for the ACLU in Hawaii, said that "waiting for the lawsuit to resolve itself before acting on the rampant problems at this facility would only leave these youth in danger, and we believe there's ample evidence to persuade the court to compel the state to act now to ensure the safety of those children."

On Monday, the ACLU filed papers with the U.S. District Court backing up its motion seeking a preliminary injunction. In its motion, the ACLU asked that the facility be required to work with an expert consultant to come up with policies, procedures and training.

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http://starbulletin.com/2005/10/05/news/story04.html