Prisons in Hawaii have been a topic of discussion and debate for many years.
As one of the most isolated states in the United States, Hawaii faces unique challenges when it comes to the incarceration and rehabilitation of its inmates.
With a high rate of recidivism and overcrowded facilities, the state has been under pressure to find new and innovative ways to manage its prison population.
In this article, we will explore the history of prisons in Hawaii, the current state of the correctional system, and the efforts being made to reform it.
State Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Level | Gender | Operator/ Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Community Correctional Center | Hilo | 226 | Mixed (Pretrial & Sentenced) | Mixed | Hawaii Department of Public Safety |
| Kauai Community Correctional Center | Kauai | 130 | Mixed (Pretrial & Sentenced) | Mixed | Hawaii Department of Public Safety |
| Maui Community Correctional Center | Maui | 410 | Mixed (Pretrial & Sentenced) | Mixed | Hawaii Department of Public Safety |
| Oahu Community Correctional Center | Honolulu | 950 | Mixed (Pretrial & Sentenced) | Male | Hawaii Department of Public Safety |
Hawaii Community Correctional Center
The Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCCC) is a 226-bed facility that serves as a temporary placement for pretrial detainees and sentenced offenders. The primary facility is located on three acres in downtown Hilo, while its reintegration program, Hale Nani, is situated five miles away in Panaewa.
Hale Nani offers offenders a work release program and reintegration services for those who will be released on the island of Hawaii. Additionally, HCCC contracts transitional community residential program services for female offenders.
Inmates can participate in work opportunities through in-facility worklines and Correctional Industries, as well as community service worklines for county, state, and non-profit organizations.
The center’s mission is to promote public safety by providing a safe and secure environment for offenders while offering opportunities for education, job training, and treatment.
Kauai Community Correctional Center
The Kauai Community Correctional Center (KCCC) is a 130-bed facility in Hawaii that offers a range of services to its inmates. Along with its jail functions, KCCC provides education, substance abuse treatment, religious counseling, cultural arts, and work furlough programs.
The Lifetime Stand Program is a unique offering for sentenced felons at KCCC. It provides a structured, paramilitary regimen of marching, drill exercises, physical training, education, and community outreach. This program emphasizes discipline, perseverance, work ethic, and personal responsibility.
KCCC also provides community service worklines that offer a labor force on various projects for county and non-profit organizations.
Additionally, the vegetable farm at KCCC is maintained by inmates, and the products are used by the facility’s food services unit. Any excess vegetables are donated to community organizations, such as senior centers.
Maui Community Correctional Center
The Maui Community Correctional Center (MCCC) is a correctional facility located on approximately 7 acres in Hawaii. It houses pre-trial detainees, as well as sentenced felons and parole violators who will be released on Maui.
MCCC offers a range of reintegration programs, including adult basic education, GED, parenting, cognitive skills, substance abuse treatment, vocational training, and work furlough. The facility also offers extended furlough in conjunction with the Maui Intake Service Center.
One of the innovative programs offered at MCCC is a drug court program, which allows select pre-trial inmates, sentenced felons, and parole violators to participate in in-facility treatment services, followed by another 9 months of treatment in the community.
Oahu Community Correctional Center
The Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) is the largest jail facility in Hawaii, located in the urban area of Honolulu. The facility houses pre-trial detainees and has a capacity of 950 beds.
OCCC offers reintegration programming for male sentenced felons, which includes educational, self-improvement, and religious programs for pre-trial detainees. Sentenced inmates can participate in programs focusing on substance abuse, domestic violence, cognitive skills, parenting, community service worklines, work furlough, and extended furlough.
The facility also provides work opportunities through Correctional Industries, with jobs in light construction, such as office wall panel construction and installation. OCCC employs over 400 inmates in its in-facility worklines to provide support services for its kitchen, laundry, and other operations.
Additionally, OCCC staff manages and operates the Laumaka Work Furlough Center (LWFC), which is located a block away from the jail. Inmates assigned to LWFC are either actively seeking employment or working in the community.
Project Bridge, a transitional program for offenders who have completed their primary substance abuse treatment, occupies one of the buildings.
Federal Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Level | Gender | Operator/ Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Detention Center, Honolulu | Honolulu, Hawaii | 440 | All | Male and Female | Federal Bureau of Prisons |
Federal Detention Center, Honolulu
The Federal Detention Center, Honolulu is a federal prison facility located in Hawaii. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.
The facility holds male and female prisoners of all security levels prior to or during court proceedings in Hawaii Federal District Court, as well as inmates serving brief sentences. The building has twelve stories and is adjacent to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
As of 2013, it houses 300 prisoners sentenced under Hawaii state law rather than federal law. This is because the Hawaii state prison system did not have enough capacity for these prisoners.
Sources:
https://dps.hawaii.gov/about/divisions/corrections/about-corrections/hccc/
https://dps.hawaii.gov/kccc/
https://dps.hawaii.gov/mccc/
https://dps.hawaii.gov/about/divisions/corrections/occc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Detention_Center,_Honolulu