Search Hawaii County Inmate Population
Hawaii County runs the full length of the Big Island and holds the third largest inmate population in the state. The Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo takes in most of the jail bookings, while Kulani Correctional Facility near Mauna Loa holds sentenced men in a minimum security setting. This page walks you through how to search the Hawaii County inmate population, contact local police records offices in Hilo and Kona, and pull court case files from the Third Circuit. You can also run a statewide custody check through SAVIN to track someone across facilities.
Hawaii County Overview
Hawaii County Inmate Population Overview
The Big Island is the largest island in the state but has the second smallest per-capita jail space. Hawaii County inmate population counts run well over the design number at HCCC, and officials have flagged this as a long-standing problem. The local system moves people between Hilo jail beds, Kulani prison, and Oahu facilities when space gets tight. A smaller share go to Arizona under the state's out-of-state contract.
Most bookings come from Hilo and the Kona coast. The two sides of the island are served by separate police stations. The county has one main court circuit, the Third, split between Hilo and Kona divisions. The Hawaii Police Department runs the front end of all arrests.
When you look up an inmate, start with the facility and then use state tools to track moves. Custody shifts happen most often at HCCC because it runs over capacity.
Note: HCCC has run at 70% over its design capacity for years, and state law under HRS Chapter 353 requires DCR to manage overflow through transfers and release reviews.
Hawaii Community Correctional Center Inmate Population
HCCC sits at 60 Punahele Street in Hilo. Its design capacity is 206 beds. Operational capacity is 226. Actual inmate count runs between 387 and 408 most days. That is about 71% over design. The phone is (808) 933-0400.
HCCC holds pre-trial detainees, short sentences, and some federal holds. It also serves as the intake point for Big Island arrests before people get moved to Oahu, Maui, or Kulani. The facility keeps a work line, a kitchen line, and basic programming. The HCCC page lists visitation rules.
The Hale Nani Reintegration Center at 2199 Kaumana Drive in Hilo is a small work furlough site run alongside HCCC. Inmates close to release can take day jobs while still housed there at night.
For a view of the main HCCC site, see the photo below. The DCR HCCC page has the most current address and contact info.
If you think the person you are tracking may not be at HCCC, check SAVIN. The system flags moves between jails and long-term prisons in real time.
Kulani Correctional Facility Inmate Records
Kulani sits high on the slopes of Mauna Loa at about 6,000 feet. The address is HC-01 Box 4670, Hilo, HI 96720. The phone is (808) 969-9166. It is a minimum security facility for sentenced men who pose little risk of flight or harm.
Most men at Kulani are close to their parole date. They take part in forest work, farming, and drug and mental health treatment. The site reopened in 2014 after a short closure and still runs with a smaller inmate count than HCCC.
The Kulani page has the full program list. Visitors must clear a basic background screen before they go. The long drive and remote site make visits less common than at HCCC or Halawa.
Here is the Kulani facility landing page, which lists the mission and the current inmate count range.
Kulani's reentry work shows up in recidivism stats tracked by DCR. The state uses data from Kulani and Waiawa to plan new reentry beds across the system.
Note: Kulani's remote location at 6,000 feet on Mauna Loa makes it the only mountain-based correctional site in Hawaii, and the climate plays a role in the daily work schedule.
Hawaii Police Department Records Access
The Hawaii Police Department covers the whole Big Island. The main station is at 349 Kapiolani Street in Hilo. The main phone is (808) 935-3311. The East Hawaii records line is (808) 961-2213. West Hawaii records can be reached at (808) 326-4646 ext. 293.
HPD splits its records work by region. East Hawaii covers Hilo and the windward side. West Hawaii covers Kona and the leeward side. Both offices keep arrest logs, booking sheets, and incident reports.
The fee for an arrest record is $5.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each added page. Staff can run name checks for the local file. For a full statewide history, use HCJDC, which charges $30 per name. The Hawaii Police site lists forms and hours.
Take a look at the HPD home page, which links to records request forms and current station hours.
Both Hilo and Kona stations act as HCJDC Public Access Sites. That means you can run a statewide criminal history check without leaving the island. The Hilo site is at 349 Kapiolani Street, (808) 961-2233. The Kona site is at 74-5221 Queen Kaahumanu Highway, (808) 326-4646 ext. 286.
Hawaii County Arrest Records and Inmate Search Tools
You have more than one way to search for Big Island arrest records. Start with a local check at HPD, then run a statewide check if needed. Both types of searches follow HRS § 846-2.7, which lays out the rules for who gets what data.
Non-conviction data is held back in most cases. Convictions stay public unless a court orders them sealed under HRS § 831-3.2. Juvenile records under HRS § 571-84 are closed to the public in nearly all cases.
For a first pass, call the HPD records unit in Hilo or Kona. Staff will tell you what forms to use and what the fee is for your type of request. Hawaii Admin Rules §8-101-6 sets fees from $5 to $25 depending on the record and page count.
Full Criminal History Checks for Hawaii County
If you want a full history, not just a single arrest, use HCJDC. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center runs the only statewide records check that pulls from all counties at once. The fee is $30 per name.
You can run the check online or at a Public Access Site. On the Big Island, both police stations act as Public Access Sites. Staff help you fill out the form and submit the request. Full details are on the HCJDC records check page.
The HCJDC FAQ covers what shows up in a report and what gets left out. If you need a broader view of which records are public, the FAQ is the best first read.
Results come back in writing and list all known state arrests and court outcomes. If there is no record, the letter says so. That makes HCJDC useful for clearance letters as well.
Note: Under HRS § 846-9, non-conviction data is held back from most public checks, so an HCJDC result may not show every arrest that shows up in local police logs.
Third Circuit Court Inmate Records
The Third Circuit Court handles criminal cases for Hawaii County. The Hilo courthouse is at 777 Kilauea Avenue. The Kona Division sits at 74-5451 Kamakaeha Avenue in Kailua-Kona and can be reached at (808) 322-8700. Both use the same case search system.
Use eCourt Kokua to look up case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and bail amounts. You can match a new HCCC booking to a court case within a few days. For older files, the clerk's office can pull paper records for a small fee.
The Third Circuit page has clerk hours and contact info. Hours run Monday to Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Court holidays are listed on the main state courts site.
Custody Status and Release Alerts
SAVIN and VINE let you track any Hawaii inmate. The service is free and sends alerts by phone, text, or email. Use the VINE Hawaii page to search by name or inmate ID.
Alerts fire when someone is moved, released, or transferred out of state. That makes SAVIN the best tool for victims and family members who need to know in real time. The service covers HCCC, Kulani, Halawa, and all other state facilities.
If you also want sex offender registry data, use the Hawaii Sex Offender Registry. It runs under HRS § 846E-02 and shows current addresses for registered offenders in Hawaii County.
Public Records Rights Under UIPA
Hawaii's open records law is HRS Chapter 92F, known as UIPA. Most jail rosters, arrest logs, and court filings are open under this law. The text is at the UIPA code page.
HRS § 92F-12(a)(13) lists records that agencies must share, such as arrest logs and conviction data. HRS § 92F-13 lists the main reasons an agency can deny a record. The Office of Information Practices helps if a request is denied.
You do not need to give a reason for your request. You can ask by email, phone, or written letter. Most Hawaii County offices ask for a written form so there is a paper trail.
Hawaii County Reentry and Support
DCR runs reentry programs at HCCC and Kulani. These include drug treatment, job training, and mental health care. The goal is to cut the number of people who return to jail within three years of release.
The DPS Corrections page has more info on programs that reach into Hawaii County. Hawaii Correctional Industries runs work lines that train inmates in trades they can use once out.
Reentry staff often work with county agencies to line up a place to live and a work plan before release. This helps reduce the Hawaii County inmate population over time.