I, truth be known. Here’s what Dr. Hew Len wrote as a detailed
reply:
The story, as most stories go, needs clarification.
It is true that:
- I spent several years as a fee-paid service staff
psychologist at Hawaii State Hospital, a psychiatric
facility operated by the Hawaii State Health
Department. - I spent three years from 1984 to 1987 as the staff
psychologist, 20 hours a week, in a high-security unit
housing male patients who had committed criminal acts of
murder, rape, drug use, and assault and battery against
people and property. - When I entered the high-security unit in 1984 as the staff
psychologist, all seclusion rooms were occupied with
violent patients. - On any given day on the unit there were several patients in
metal restraints around their ankles and wrists to prevent
violence against others. - Violence in the unit by patients against patients and
patients against staff was a common occurrence. - Patients were not intimately involved in their care and
rehabilitation. - There were no in-unit rehabilitative work activities.
- There were no off-unit activities, recreation, or work.
- Visits by families on the unit were extremely rare.
- No patients were allowed off of the high-security unit
without written permission by the psychiatrist and only with
ankle and wrist restraints.
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