Special Report

Hawaii Behind Bars

October 2021

Thursday, October 21

Hawaii Prisons Are Finally Moving Forward With An ID Program For Inmates

July 2020

Thursday, July 9

Hawaii Prison Oversight Commission: ‘Maybe We’ve Been Forgotten’

May 2020

Saturday, May 23

Critics Say Hawaii Prisons Are Failing To Help Released Inmates

Wednesday, May 20

Hawaii Prosecutors Want COVID-19 Inmate Releases Stopped

Prison Commission Demands Answers On COVID-19 At Arizona Prison

April 2020

Monday, April 20

Hawaii Prisoners Still Packed Into Arizona Prison Despite Virus Concerns

Thursday, April 9

Special Master Recommends No Blanket Release Of Hawaii Inmates

Thursday, April 2

Special Master Appointed To Recommend On COVID-19 Jail Releases

March 2020

Tuesday, March 31

Public Defender’s Office Wants Hundreds More Hawaii Inmates Released

Thursday, March 26

Hawaii Prison Plan For COVID-19 Emphasizes Hygiene Over Inmate Releases

Monday, March 23

Hawaii Prosecutors Retool Policies To Avoid Filling Up Jails During Pandemic

February 2020

Wednesday, February 12

Will There Be A New Oahu Jail? The Legislature Has Varying Answers

Monday, February 10

Hawaii Prison Reformers Call For New Approach To Guard Training

January 2020

Friday, January 24

Lawsuit: Guards Had Suicidal Inmate Cuffed, Let Him Bleed To Death

Thursday, January 16

New Prison Oversight Commission Has A Full Plate

Wednesday, January 15

Three Hawaii Correctional Facilities Ban Contact Visits Despite Potential Benefits

Monday, January 13

Public Safety Department Wants 15 More Guards But Can’t Fill Vacancies

December 2019

Tuesday, December 24

A Baking Job Helped A Federal Offender Transform Her Life After Prison

Thursday, December 12

Critics: New Hawaii Prison Commissioners Too Connected To Long-Troubled System

November 2019

Tuesday, November 26

SLIDESHOW: Inside Hawaii’s Prisons And Jails

September 2019

Monday, September 30

New Oahu Jail Project Is Stalling Out Over Lack Of Cash, Community Support

Monday, September 23

New Ideas For Transforming Hawaii’s Prisons

Friday, September 13

ACLU: Hawaii Needs Fewer People In Prison, More Treatment Programs

Tuesday, September 3

New Prison Oversight Commission Is Off To A Slow Start

March 2019

Friday, March 15

Maui Riot Just The Latest Sign Of Trouble In State’s Overcrowded Jails

Thursday, March 14

21 Maui Inmates Transferred to Halawa After Riot

Tuesday, March 5

Hawaii Prisons: ‘You Can’t Have A System Policing Itself’

Monday, March 4

The Roadblocks Are Rising For Much-Touted Bail Reform

February 2019

Tuesday, February 26

Bringing The Right To Vote Behind Bars

Friday, February 22

Hawaii Could Really Use This Federal Prison That Has Plenty Of Empty Cells

Thursday, February 14

Lawmakers: Release Information When A Prisoner Dies

Thursday, February 7

‘It’s A Crime’: Will Legislature Fix Hawaii’s Broken Bail System?

Monday, February 4

Looks Like We’ll Still Be Using Private Prisons On The Mainland For A While

January 2019

Tuesday, January 22

Bail Reform Could Get Serious Consideration From Legislature

Friday, January 4

Task Force Criticizes ‘Punitive Mentality’ Of Hawaii Criminal Justice System

October 2018

Monday, October 8

Hawaii’s Bail System Keeps Poor People In Jail Longer — So Where’s The Fix?

September 2018

Monday, September 10

Why Gov. Ige’s Plan For A New Oahu Jail May Be Premature

August 2018

Tuesday, August 28

New $525 Million State Jail Slated For Halawa

November 2017

Tuesday, November 14

Nevada’s ‘Most Dangerous’ Inmates Move In With Hawaii Prisoners

Wednesday, November 8

‘Preferred’ Jail Site Currently Houses Animal Quarantine Station

October 2017

Tuesday, October 3

Overcrowding May Have Sparked Attack On Oahu Jail Guards

Monday, October 2

The Disturbing State Of Mental Health Care In Hawaii’s Prisons

July 2017

Friday, July 14

No Relief In Sight For High Cost Of Prison Phone Calls

June 2017

Wednesday, June 21

Inmate Deaths Leave Families, Advocates Searching For Answers

May 2017

Tuesday, May 9

Hawaii’s Inaction On Replacing Jail Is A Victory For Justice Reformers

April 2017

Wednesday, April 12

Hawaii Set To Roll Back Nation’s Toughest Drug Paraphernalia Laws

February 2017

Friday, February 24

Bill Clamps Down On State’s Habit Of Segregating Inmates

Monday, February 6

Settlement Protects Religious Rights For Hawaiian Prisoners

Thursday, February 2

New Oahu Jail Will Cost Hundreds Of Millions

January 2017

Thursday, January 12

No Quick Fixes For Prison Overcrowding In Governor’s Budget

How Hawaii’s Prisoners Are Ending Up In Facilities All Over The Country

Tuesday, January 10

ACLU Calls For Federal Probe Of Hawaii Prison Conditions

December 2016

Thursday, December 22

Do Hawaii Prisons Overuse Solitary Confinement?

November 2016

Monday, November 21

Other States Are Shrinking Prison Populations — Why Not Hawaii?

Thursday, November 3

Private Prison Operator Sees A Financially Healthy Future

October 2016

Monday, October 31

Hawaii Prison Officials Say It Will Cost $23,000 For Public Records

Friday, October 21

Oahu’s Inmates Are Facing Some Seriously ‘Inhumane’ Conditions

Thursday, October 13

Hawaii Finds Itself Stuck As Others Abandon For-Profit Prisons

Wednesday, October 5

What To Do About Oahu’s Crumbling Correctional Center

September 2016

Tuesday, September 27

Only 215 Hawaii Prisoners Were Tested For Valley Fever In Arizona

Monday, September 26

Group Wants To Suspend Hawaii’s Effort To Build A New Jail

Thursday, September 8

New Visitation Policy For OCCC Inmates

Tuesday, September 6

Hawaii Prison Contractor Executives Were Convicted Of Fraud And Bribery

August 2016

Monday, August 29

Secret Deals: Prison Operator Is Mum On Hawaii Court Cases

Friday, August 19

Justice Department Will Stop Using Private Prisons

Wednesday, August 3

Arizona Prison Is Not Reporting Disease Cases To Health Agency

Tuesday, August 2

Hawaii Re-Ups With Arizona Prison For $45 Million Per Year

July 2016

Friday, July 22

Valley Fever Risk Won’t Slow Flow Of Hawaii Prisoners To Arizona

Wednesday, July 13

Why Hawaii Has A Double Standard On Isolating Prisoners

Tuesday, July 5

Hawaii Extends Negotiation On New Private Prison Contract

June 2016

Monday, June 27

A Deadly Dust Is Plaguing Hawaii Prisoners In Arizona

Monday, June 20

Hawaii Doesn’t Know If Prisoners Sent To Mainland Are Likelier To Reoffend

Thursday, June 2

Is Hawaii Doing Enough to Protect Transgender Inmates In Prisons?

May 2016

Wednesday, May 25

Is Hawaii Really Saving Millions By Using A Mainland Prison?

Wednesday, May 18

Hawaii Keeps Secret What Happens In Its Private Prison

Monday, May 9

Criminal Justice Reform Fails To Get Much Legislative Love

Monday, May 2

Experts: Act Now To Improve The Contract With An Arizona Prison

April 2016

Friday, April 29

Lawmakers Fail To Cut A Deal To Rebuild Hawaii’s Oldest Jail

CCA Submits The Only Bid For Hawaii’s Private Prison Contract

Monday, April 25

Prison Officials Quietly Move To Extend An Out-Of-State Contract

Friday, April 15

Lawsuit Claims Widespread Infringement of Prisoners’ Religious Rights

Tuesday, April 12

The Prison Visit That Cost My Family $2,370

Hawaii Prisons Are Finally Moving Forward With An ID Program For Inmates Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Hawaii Prisons Are Finally Moving Forward With An ID Program For Inmates

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A law passed in 2017 required the state to provide convicts with identification upon release to help them manage on the outside.
Hawaii Prison Oversight Commission: ‘Maybe We’ve Been Forgotten’ Yoohyun Jung/Civil Beat/2020

Hawaii Prison Oversight Commission: ‘Maybe We’ve Been Forgotten’

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Commissioners say the state is stalling the hiring process of a director, while pushing forward to pursue a public-private partnership for a new Oahu jail complex.
Oahu Jail Guard Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into Jail Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Oahu Jail Guard Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into Jail

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The charges were announced Thursday, a day after the corrections officer was searched at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Critics Say Hawaii Prisons Are Failing To Help Released Inmates Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Critics Say Hawaii Prisons Are Failing To Help Released Inmates

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Advocates say they've had to take over reentry services for prisoners released because of COVID-19 worries.
Hawaii Prosecutors Want COVID-19 Inmate Releases Stopped Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii Prosecutors Want COVID-19 Inmate Releases Stopped

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The state has released more than 800 inmates since early March. Three county prosecutors say the public safety risk outweighs COVID-19 dangers.
Prison Commission Demands Answers On COVID-19 At Arizona Prison Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Prison Commission Demands Answers On COVID-19 At Arizona Prison

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An attorney alleges that more than a dozen staff members have COVID-19. CoreCivic says two have tested positive.
Hawaii Jails Have Released More Than 800 Inmates Since March Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii Jails Have Released More Than 800 Inmates Since March

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Criminal justice stakeholders have been working to reduce the jail population in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hawaii Prisoners Still Packed Into Arizona Prison Despite Virus Concerns Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii Prisoners Still Packed Into Arizona Prison Despite Virus Concerns

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The company that runs Saguaro Correctional Center says proper pandemic protocols are being followed.
Hawaii Supreme Court: Inmate Release To Be Considered By Judges Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Hawaii Supreme Court: Inmate Release To Be Considered By Judges

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The court also required that motions for release be filed by April 20.