HONOLULU — Maui correctional officers were met with a stack of “Hurt Feelings Report” forms when they showed up for work this week at the Maui Community Correctional Center — a joke that isn’t going over well six months after a major riot broke out at the jail.
The forms are sarcastic and state that “whiners should use this form to seek sympathy from someone who cares.”
“Disclosure is voluntary, however, repeated whining may lead to your file being stamped ‘CANDY A–’ or some other appropriate term,” the form goes on to read.
Maui correctional officers have become increasingly vocal about conditions at the Maui Community Correctional Center after a riot broke out at the facility on March 11 that lasted several hours and caused more than $5 million in damage. One guard said he believed the forms are part of a pattern of intimidation and retaliation against guards for speaking out about the ongoing problems at the jail, an allegation a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety, which oversees the jail, says is not the case.
“This is harassment. You are creating a very hostile working environment,” said the guard, who didn’t want to be identified. “And this is from the supervisors, captains on down.
“That form is in front of the watch commander’s office — meaning every captain and lieutenant has to pass by it. (Warden Deborah) Taylor and the chief of security come through the watch office everyday, multiple times a day. They’ve seen it. But none of them had the common sense to pull it.”
DPS spokeswoman Toni Schwartz said by email that MCCC administration is investigating the origin of the “unofficial, unauthorized and inappropriate literature,” and that neither the jail’s warden or her administrative staff condoned, authorized or distributed it.
“We do know that the forms showed up on a sign-in table outside the watch commander’s office over the weekend. The watch commander was notified and immediately confiscated the forms,” said Schwartz.
“There absolutely has not been, nor will there be, any retaliatory actions heaped upon an already embattled group of dedicated employees,” continued Schwartz. “These employees continuously work under the most difficult of conditions and are commended for their continued dedication and professionalism during this period of recovery.”
The form includes fields for things like the “whiner’s name,” “type of whine used,” “date feelings were hurt” and “persons who hurt your pansy a– feelings.”
There is also a section for the reason for filing the report, which includes a list of reasons for the person to check, such as “I am a wimp,” “I have woman /man hormones” and “I am a crybaby.”
The “fine print” at the end of the form says that a “hugger” will be dispatched to make the person feel better if needed.
“In the event a willing ‘hugger’ cannot be found, an EMS team will be dispatched to soak your socks in coal oil to prevent ants from crawling up your legs and eating their way through your candy a–,” the form continues. “If you are in need of supplemental support, upon written request, we will make every reasonable effort to provide you with a ‘blankie,’ and a ‘binkie’ and /or a baby bottle if you so desire.”
The forms, copies of which can be found, have become the center of controversy before. In 2016, a Delaware school district apologized after parents were mistakenly emailed the form. Some parents said that it appeared to be making fun of students who were bullied.
