Run a free Hawaii inmate search to track down a loved one, provide a victim impact statement to a parole board, or reveal more about anyone incarcerated in the state.
An inmate is anyone detained in a jail or prison for any reason. Searchers can find an inmate’s current location if they have their name and basic information about where the crime happened.
This resource covers how to find records pertaining to anyone incarcerated across the state of Hawaii using state-sanctioned and official sources.
Being Incarcerated in a Jail vs Prison
Jail and prison are terms that often get used interchangeably, but there’s a big difference when it comes to the why and how long someone might spend in either.
Jails are often basic holding cells for a newly arrested person who is waiting for their arraignment and a bail hearing. Some jails can handle prolonged overnight stays, but only for inmates whose sentence is measured in months, not years. Counties usually have their own jails to handle misdemeanor offenses at the local level.
Some examples of crimes that may result in a jail sentence include minor traffic violations, petty theft and criminal mischief.
State prisons are residential holding facilities designed for long-term stays. Those with felony convictions or longer sentences serve their time in state prisons. When first arrested, inmates start in jail and after conviction move to prison, depending on their sentence.
Searchers running an inmate lookup should consider the severity of the crime when determining where to start looking.
Federal crimes result in sentences served in a federal prison. There are 122 federal prisons throughout the United States, plus additional facilities dedicated to community re-entry.1 Those arrested by federal law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) or the Secret Service may be incarcerated in federal prisons after their trial.
How To Perform an Inmate Search in Hawaii Jails (Free Lookups)
When running an inmate search, it’s often a good idea to contact jails directly about very recent arrests that occurred within the last few days. Local jails have direct contact information for those seeking very recent data and records.
Take a look at two examples of a county and a city jail and find out how to get inmate information for each.
Maui County: Searchers can contact the Maui Community Correctional Center (MCCC) directly to ask about current detainees.2 The MCCC holds both pre-trial detainees and prisoners nearing the end of their sentence as they prepare for community re-entry.
To find out about current residents at MCCC, call 808-243-5101 for general information or call 808-243-5681 for the visitation hotline.
Maui Community Correctional Center
600 Waiale Drive
Wailuku, HI 96793
General Information: 808-243-5101
Visitation Hotline: 808-243-5861
Honolulu: To search inmates in Honolulu, use the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) Arrest Logs as a starting point.3 These logs list every arrest along with the eventual outcome for that prisoner, allowing searchers who know when an arrest occurred to locate an inmate.
However, these logs list by date of arrest without a search function. The HPD may transfer some to a court for arraignment while releasing others pending further investigation.
Researchers can send in a request for information via the HPD’s online contact form or by mail to:5
Honolulu Police Department
801 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
All Hawaii correctional institutions, both jails and prisons, provide inmate rosters through VINE, the victim notification network. Interested individuals can use VINELink to search for inmates and register with the site to receive notifications when an offender’s location or status changes.
Search all of Hawaii’s jails with one convenient resource that offers a criminal records search option. This resource lists every county jail in the state and includes each facility’s contact information.
How To Execute a Free Hawaii Inmate Search for State Prisoners
Hawaii is one of the few states to use VINELink for all inmate searches, meaning that an inmate lookup may be more efficient using third-party resources. The Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation – the government agency in charge of the prison population on the islands – directs searchers to the state’s VINELink page as a reference.
Other tools, links and information may assist during this process, including:
- Contacting Prisons:6 To get in direct contact with each prison, searchers can use the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation information site for the corrections division. It provides direct contact information for each prison and jail in the state.
- Parole Violators & Absconders: Use the VINELink system for all automated victim notifications, including those related to parole violations and absconders.
- Visitation Rules & Procedures: When searching for an inmate to request visitation, be sure to stay up-to-date on all rules and regulations that may impact times and access to inmates. Not all inmates qualify for visitation and all visitors must get pre-approval.
- Victim Services:7 Victims of certain crimes may be eligible for restitution and notifications about any status changes that affect the person who committed a crime against them.
How To Track Down Details on Someone Held in Federal Prison
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversees 122 facilities throughout the United States that house individuals convicted of federal offenses.
As such, BOP handles all federal inmate lookup details, allowing the public to use the BOP search tool to find the location of all inmates incarcerated in or after 1982.8 To use the lookup tool, users need the full first and last name of the person incarcerated.
Once users locate the individual in question, the results page shows the inmate’s:
- Name
- Register Number
- Age
- Race
- Sex
- Release Date
- Location
These records include those currently incarcerated and those who have reentered the community.
For records relating to those incarcerated before 1982, researchers must get in contact with the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) for further information.9 All older BOP records are stored with the National Archives and researchers can put in a public records request by including the offender’s:
- Full Name
- Date of Birth & Approximate Age of Incarceration
- Race
- Approximate Dates Spent in Prison
If the individual in question doesn’t show up with an inmate search, users can check the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. Searches can use the PACER Case Locator to access court records related to the individual. Some fees apply for access and there are limitations on how to use public records.10
This streamlined resource and the links and guidance it holds make it possible to complete a Hawaii inmate search at the county, state, and federal levels.
References
1Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d.). Our Locations. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.bop.gov/locations/>
2Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (n.d.). Maui Community Correctional Center. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://dcr.hawaii.gov/mccc/>
3Honolulu Police Department. (2024). Arrest Logs. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.honolulupd.org/information/arrest-logs/>
4Honolulu Police Department. (2024, March 18). Adult Arrest Logs. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.honolulupd.org/wp-content/hpd/arrest-logs/2024-03-18-11-00-40_Arrest_Log.pdf>
5Honolulu Police Department. (n.d.). Contact Us. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.honolulupd.org/contact-us/>
6Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (n.d.). Correctional Institutions Division. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://dcr.hawaii.gov/about/divisions/corrections/>
7Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (n.d.). Restitution and Victim Services. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://dcr.hawaii.gov/ravs/>
8Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d.). Find an inmate. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.bop.gov/mobile/find_inmate/byname.jsp>
9The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. (2018, June 8). Prison Records at the National Archives. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.archives.gov/research/prisons>
10Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. (2019, December 31). Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from <https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/fees/electronic-public-access-fee-schedule>