"Supporting the Law Enforcement Agencies of our State, and helping to educate and empower the public for a safer community."

Note from the Associate Editor:

    This has been, by far, the most work intensive and difficult edition of Hawaii’s Most Wanted Magazine published to date. First, there was the sheer challenge of assembling volumes of information to give our readers a broad spectrum of views on our judicial system. We wanted to give our readers all sides of the story, and went to great lengths to present a varied forum of thought and opinion. Hopefully our sixth edition at least gives the reader a better understanding into the dynamics of our judicial system, and the differing philosophies that come together in a “meeting of the minds” that constitutes a legal system that is envied throughout the world. We feel that personal understanding and involvement in our judicial system makes for a better community, state, and nation. Law enforcement and the courts help for the needed structure of a democracy, but the foundation of that idea is: “We the People.”

    From a personal standpoint, it was also challenging to remain objective in the process of telling the story from the perspective of all those involved. Ask a question like, “How do you feel about victims rights versus the rights of the accused,” and the answers vary. The defense sees that question from its unique perspective, as does the prosecution and the judge. If anything, I realized that it’s not all, “black and white.” All sides have valid viewpoints that form the basis of our constitutional democracy. Without the built in system of judicial checks and balances, the specter of hasty, lop-sided trials and summary execution could become reality. On the other side, many feel that the scale of justice has been unfairly tilted in favor of the defendant. Interest groups make headlines about defending the rights of the accused, while many victims and their family and friends suffer as they wait through a seemingly endless series of appeals, judicial rulings, and legal maneuvers. It’s an often painful, arduous process for everyone involved, especially in a society accustomed to seeing the whole process worked out in a 30-minute television program. Hopefully, we have met the challenge by giving you a unique, un-biased glimpse into an endless drama that defies television or movie scripts, a drama that affects us all in one way or another.

    Over the years, we have strived to give the people of Hawaii an insider’s view of how the dedicated members of our law enforcement organizations and courts help protect and defend those they serve. We have also endeavored to publish an educational resource that would make citizens aware of available resources and personal decisions they can make to protect themselves, their families, and the community as a whole. At the very least, our mission has been to help foster awareness in the community to take a proactive approach toward crime in Hawaii and understand that public safety is everyone’s responsibility. The battle against crime can only be fought as a group effort—concerned citizens teaming with law enforcement to “take back our neighborhoods,” one block at a time. We sincerely hope that the hard work put into our sixth edition has lived up to our mission to serve the community and empower the citizens that make Hawaii one of the greatest neighborhoods on the planet.

    Finally, “Mahalo Nui Loa,” to all of those who sacrificed time from their already hectic schedules to share their opinions and viewpoints on the judicial system. We hope that their unique and varied insight will help shed light on a dynamic and essential process in our democracy.

Chas Cordill,
Associate Editor
Hawaii's Most Wanted Magazine