The Hawaii State Prison System

The Division of Corrections under the Department of Public Safety in the State of Hawaii is mainly responsible for managing all the State’s jails and prisons. The Department of Public Sacreated several divisions in the DOC to ensure the corrective, rehabilitative, and re-entry program for offenders who have been incarcerated under the prison system in the State. The Inmate Classification Office (ICO) is responsible for the custody and placement of inmates. The Correction Industry Division (CI) is responsible for the vocational rehabilitation of all inmates in the State’s various holding facilities. The Correction Program Services (CPS) manages educational, nutritional, religious, Etc for inmates across the State. The Health Care Division (HCD) is in charge of organizing and maintaining health care programs for inmates in all the prisons and jails in the State. The Intake Service Center Division (ISCD) is responsible for providing pretrial evaluations, assessments and supervision to different kinds of offenders who have been incarcerated in any of the State’s holding facilities. The Offenders Management Office (OMO) is responsible for the up-to-date computation of all information on inmates’ sentencing. The Institution Division oversees the prisons and jails in the State.

What is the Difference Between Jail and Prison in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, there is a defined difference between jail and prison. A jail is a holding facility for short term sentencing or the pretrial of a criminal charge. The jails in Hawaii also serve as transitional sentencing of felons who have finished their felon sentence and ready for re-entry into the community. On the other hand, prisons in Hawaii are for long term sentencing. Offenders who are considered to have committed felony crimes are sentenced to prison.

How Many Prisons are in Hawaii?

There are ten prisons in the State, out of which one is a Federal Prison. The state Prisons in Hawaii house between 1,500- 2000 inmates. The prisons in the State are as listed below;

• Federal Prison Bureau, Honolulu- Federal Prison
• Halawa Correctional Facility, Aiea- State Prison
• Kulani Correctional Facility, Hilo- State Prison
• Waiawa Correctional Facility, Waipahu- State Prison
• Women Community Correctional Center, Kailua- State Prison
• Hawaii Community Correctional Center, Hilo- State Jail
• Kauai Community Correctional Center, Lihue- State Jail
• Maui Community Correctional Center, Wailuku- State Jail
• Oahu Community Correctional Center, Honolulu- State Jail
• Saguaro Correctional Center, Arizona- A private facility owned by Correction Corporation of America

How do I search for an Inmate in Hawaii State Prison?

The search for an inmate in Hawaii can be done either online or offline. An interested person can search for an inmate at the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, an agency of the Department of the Attorney General. The agency provides an ecrim Data Center where a requester can carry out an inmate search. An interested person needs to sign up by providing the necessary information required for the sign-up to use the platform. An alternative online search method is searching through the Hawaii SAVIN platform available for the Victims- Victims Information and Notification Everyday. On the other hand, an offline search can be done by visiting the detention center where the inmate is being held. A requester can also visit the office of the Department of Public Safety or send a mail to the address below;

Department of Public Safety
919 Ala Moana boulevard 4th Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Phone: (808) 587–2567
Fax: (808) 587–2568
Email: psd.office.of.the.director@hawai.gov

An interested person can also visit the office of the Attorney General at the address below:

Department of the Attorney General
465 South
King Street Room 102
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 587–3279

A mail can be sent to the address below to obtain information about an inmate in any detention center in the State.

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
Attn: CHRC Unit
465 South
King Street Room 102
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

When sending a mail to the Criminal Justice Data Center, it is important to include the name, date of birth, and the social security number (if available). Attache also a money order or cashier’s check of $30 payable to the “State of Hawaii” for each record search. Results are usually available between seven to ten days.

Are Incarceration Records Public in Hawaii?

According to the Freedom of information Law, all government records are open to public perusal. Arrest records, court records, and incarceration records are all public records. Therefore an interested person can obtain information concerning incarceration, the holding facility, the crime committed, the period of sentencing, Etc. However, detailed and sensitive information about the recorded holder may be restricted or closed by law.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, County, or State that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How to Look Up Jail Records in Hawaii?

Jail records can be checked locally or at the state level. An interested person has a right to check these records, which are considered public records. To look up jail records, a requester can check through the administrative office of the detention facility. The office of the Sheriff can also be visited to check the jail records of the County. Jail records can also be looked up at the state level by visiting the administrative office of the Division of Corrections of the Department of Public Safety.

Can Jail Records be Expunged in Hawaii?

Not all jail records can be expunged in Hawaii. Offenses such as domestic misdemeanors, first or second violation of drug possession, juvenile records, and violations like prostitution and other related offenses can be expunged once the holder of the record fulfills the requirements for eligibility. According to HRS §706–622.8, offenses for drug offenses can be expunged after the offender has completed all sentencing, including the substance abuse treatment program. Such a person must have complied with other terms and conditions that qualify for records expungement, as required by HRS §706–622.5. Also, juvenile records can be expunged as stated in HRS §712–1256.