HI nonprofits fear inmate release will free domestic abusers

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    OAHU, HI (KITV) — Domestic Violence Action Center and Child and Family Service are cautioning against releasing inmates as a means of combating COVID-19 in prison.

DVAC Chief Executive Officer Nanci Kreidman told KITV4 she strongly opposes a “wholesale” release of inmates, and believes each release should be vetted thoroughly and coordinated with any victims of that inmate’s crime.

“Did anybody make contact with [the victim] to see what kind of risk, what kind of lethality might be present?” asked Kreidman.

“So few abusers go to jail in the first place,” said Kreidman.

According to the Department of Public Safety, 124 inmates and 19 staff at O’ahu Community Correctional Center tested positive for COVID-19.

“I fear the worst, and I think we can prevent the worst if we do this right. If there is an intention to honor inmate public health and correctional facility public health what about recognizing that domestic violence is a public health issue, and we marry the two issues of public health,” said Kreidman.

“We did and abbreviated skim of our caseload, and we couldn’t even get any survivors to speak to this because the fear is so real,” Kreidman added.

“Where is he going to stay? He’s either going to be homeless or he’s going to show up right where she is, and she is going to be too afraid to say no,” Kreidman explained.

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