About Hawaii Department of Public Safety
Use this website for informational purposes only.
The correctional system in Hawaii is overseen by the Hawaii Department of Public Safety. The Department is responsible for administering the state’s correctional facilities, which includes four state prisons and four jails. It is also responsible for the state’s intake service centers and community correctional centers, parole and probationary services, and sheriff operations.
The Hawaii Department of Public Safety also supervises out-of-state prisoners in partnership with the Corrections Corporation of America, now known as CoreCivic. Hawaii is one of several states that sends inmates to private prisons on the mainland due to overcrowding in the state's own facilities.
Types of Correctional Institutions in Hawaii
The correctional institutions in Hawaii can be broken down into the following categories:
State Prisons
State prisons are facilities where individuals are incarcerated following conviction for violating Hawaii state laws. As of 2021, there are four state prisons in Hawaii:
- Halawa Correctional Facility
- Waiawa Correctional Facility
- Kulani Correctional Facility
- Women’s Community Correctional Center
County Jails
County jails are operated by individual counties, typically under the supervision of the county's Sheriff's Office. Inmates in these facilities are usually awaiting trial or serving sentences for misdemeanors. Hawaii has four main jails:
- Maui Community Correctional Center (Maui County)
- Kauai Community Correctional Center (Kauai County)
- Hawaii Community Correctional Center (Hawaii County)
- Oahu Community Correctional Center (Honolulu County)
City Jails
City jails are small-scale facilities primarily for holding arrestees for a short period of time or those serving brief sentences. In Hawaii, the largest city, Honolulu, has a jail system that falls under the jurisdiction of the Honolulu Police Department.
Inmate Search Options in Hawaii
Inmate searches can be a helpful tool for family members, attorneys, and community members seeking information about where an individual is housed. Here are the primary ways to conduct an inmate search in Hawaii:
Online Inmate Searches
- State Prisons: The Hawaii Department of Public Safety offers an online inmate search for individuals incarcerated in the state's correctional facilities. To conduct a search, you'll need the inmate's full name or their offender number.
- County Jails: For county jails, the process varies. Most counties in Hawaii do not offer an online inmate lookup tool, so you'll likely need to contact the jail directly.
- City Jails: Similar to county jails, city jails in Hawaii do not typically provide online search tools. Contacting the specific jail or police department directly is usually the best approach.
Offline Inmate Searches
- State Prisons, County Jails, and City Jails: If online searches are not fruitful, or if you prefer not to use online methods, you can contact the Hawaii Department of Public Safety, the specific county jail, or city police department directly via phone or in person. Be prepared to provide as much information as possible about the inmate, including their full name, date of birth, and any other identifying information you might have.
- Federal Inmates: For offline searches of federal inmates, contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons directly.
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