❌
☰

🏛 State Directory

Prisons and Jails in Hawaii.

Hawaii Department of Public Safety manages the Hawaii state correctional system. Hawaii uses the VINE system for inmate location searches. Hawaii is unique - because of limited prison space, hundreds of Hawaii inmates are housed in
Search a specific facility
8
State facilities
0
County jails
1
Federal facilities
3K+
State inmates

Hawaii State Prisons

8 facilities

Federal Facilities in Hawaii

1 facility

Hawaii Department of Corrections

Hawaii uses the VINE system for inmate location searches. Hawaii is unique - because of limited prison space, hundreds of Hawaii inmates are housed in private prisons on the US mainland, primarily in Arizona. If you cannot find your inmate in Hawaii, check Arizona.

The official inmate search is available at vinelink.vineapps.com/search/HI. CoreCivic Saguaro Correctional Center (AZ) houses approximately 1,000+ Hawaii inmates due to in-state capacity limits.

Visitation in Hawaii Facilities

For mainland-housed Hawaii inmates at CoreCivic Saguaro in Arizona, visitor applications go through CoreCivic, not Hawaii DPS. Hawaii's island geography creates extreme visitation hardship - family members on neighbor islands must fly, and families on the mainland face cross-Pacific travel. Video visitation is strongly recommended.

Always confirm visiting schedules directly with the facility before traveling. Find specific visitation rules on each facility's page in our Hawaii prison directory.

Sending Mail to Hawaii Inmates

Hawaii DPS mail requires the inmate's Hawaii ID number. If your inmate is housed on the mainland at CoreCivic Saguaro in Arizona, use that facility's mailing address - not a Hawaii address. This is a common and costly mistake. Verify your inmate's current location before sending any mail.

InmateAid delivers letters and photos, postcards, and magazines to Hawaii facilities. Want to receive letters without sharing your home address? Our Letters From Inmates service scans and delivers inmate mail to your account.

Phone Calls from Hawaii Facilities

Hawaii is not currently among the states that offer free inmate phone calls. GTL/ViaPath holds the Hawaii DPS contract.

Following the FCC's Martha Wright-Reed Order (effective April 6, 2026), per-minute rates for inmate calls are now federally capped at state and federal facilities. Find current carrier and rate information on each facility's page in our Hawaii prison directory.

Sending Money to Hawaii Inmates

Commissary funds let inmates purchase approved items from the facility store. Primary money transfer options for Hawaii:

  • JPay
  • GTL ConnectNetwork
  • Money orders - if inmate is in Arizona, use Arizona facility's money deposit system

See our Send Money guide or navigate to the specific facility page for current provider information.

Reentry Resources in Hawaii

Planning for release is one of the most important things a family can do. These organizations provide support in Hawaii:

Frequently Asked Questions About Hawaii Prisons

Why is my Hawaii inmate in Arizona?

Hawaii has a chronic, decades-long shortage of prison capacity within the islands. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety has contracted with CoreCivic to house overflow inmates on the US mainland - primarily at Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona. At any given time, approximately 1,000 or more Hawaii state inmates are in Arizona, separated from their families by over 2,600 miles of ocean. This arrangement has been deeply controversial in Hawaii for years, with advocates documenting that the extreme distance makes meaningful family contact nearly impossible and that it disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian inmates. To confirm your inmate's current location, use the VINE inmate search at vinelink.vineapps.com or contact Hawaii DPS directly - do not assume your inmate is in Hawaii without checking.

How do I visit a Hawaii inmate housed in Arizona?

If your inmate is at CoreCivic Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, the visitor application process goes through CoreCivic - not Hawaii DPS. Contact CoreCivic Saguaro at 520-464-3500 to request visitor applications. Eloy is about 70 miles south of Phoenix and 65 miles north of Tucson - accessible but requiring a flight from Hawaii. Round-trip airfare from Honolulu to Phoenix typically costs $400 - $800 depending on timing, plus hotel and transportation. For most Hawaii families this level of travel is financially out of reach for regular visits. Video visitation through GTL ConnectNetwork at Saguaro is available and is strongly recommended as the practical primary means of contact for most Hawaii families with inmates on the mainland.

Does Hawaii have free prison phone calls?

No - Hawaii has not eliminated phone call fees at DPS state facilities. GTL/ViaPath holds the Hawaii DPS contract. The FCC's April 2026 rate caps apply to state facilities, reducing per-minute rates, but calls are still charged per minute. For families trying to maintain contact with an inmate in Arizona, phone and communication costs compound the financial burden of the geographic separation. GTL ConnectNetwork - which powers both phone and video systems at most Hawaii DPS facilities and at Saguaro - offers electronic messaging, voice calls, and video calls through a single platform. If you haven't set up a ConnectNetwork account, do it now - it is the most practical tool for maintaining contact across the significant distance involved.

What is the Hawaii ID number for inmates?

Every Hawaii DPS inmate is assigned a unique Hawaii identification number - sometimes called the Hawaii ID or DPS number - at intake. This number is used across all DPS records and must appear on all mail sent to DPS facilities. If your inmate is housed at CoreCivic Saguaro in Arizona, this same Hawaii ID number applies to their records even though they're physically in Arizona. Find the number through the VINE inmate search at vinelink.vineapps.com or by contacting Hawaii DPS directly. It appears on all DPS paperwork and court commitment documents. Keep it written somewhere accessible - you'll need it for mail, money deposits, and any time you contact DPS or CoreCivic staff.

Can families afford to visit Hawaii inmates on the mainland?

For the vast majority of Hawaii families, regular in-person visitation of an inmate housed in Arizona is financially not possible. A round-trip flight from Honolulu to Phoenix costs $400 - $800 or more depending on timing, plus hotel, rental car, and food - a minimum of $700 - $1,200 per visit for a single traveler, often significantly more for a family. Advocates have documented for decades that this geographic separation causes measurable harm to family bonds, to children's relationships with incarcerated parents, and ultimately to reentry outcomes when inmates return to Hawaii. The practical alternatives are video visitation through GTL ConnectNetwork, regular phone calls, written mail, and InmateAid's Letters From Inmates service for receiving letters without sharing your home address.

What happens when a Hawaii inmate is transferred back to Hawaii?

Hawaii DPS has a formal repatriation process for returning mainland-housed inmates to Hawaii facilities when capacity allows. Priority is typically given to inmates nearing their release date, those with demonstrated good behavior, and those with strong documented family ties in Hawaii. If you believe your family member is eligible for repatriation consideration, contact Hawaii DPS directly - the process is not automatic, and proactive communication from families can help elevate a case within the queue. Repatriation is not guaranteed and can take years depending on capacity. When a repatriation occurs, families typically receive notification through the VINE system and directly from DPS. When your inmate returns to Hawaii, the visiting distance collapses dramatically - worth working toward.

View all questions ›