Kalawao County Inmate Population

Kalawao County has no local jail, no police, and no court of its own, so the Kalawao County inmate population shows up on the Maui County roster instead. The county covers the Kalaupapa peninsula on the north shore of Molokai, home to fewer than 100 people. Arrests here are handled by Maui County police and processed through the Second Circuit court system. Any Kalawao inmate would be housed at the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku. This page explains how the records trail works and which state tools to use for a custody or history search.

Kalawao County Inmate Population Structure

Kalawao is the smallest county in Hawaii and one of the smallest in the United States. The population sits near 80 residents. There is no elected county government. No local police. No courthouse. No jail. Public services run through state and neighboring county offices.

For law enforcement and any arrests, the Maui Police Department steps in. Booking and court work run through the Second Circuit. If someone in Kalawao is taken into custody, they are moved to the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku for intake. That means the Kalawao County inmate population shows up in the MCCC roster, not in a local jail book.

Since few people live in Kalawao, the county rarely has a live inmate in the system. But the records path is still the same, and the rules of UIPA and HRS Chapter 353 still apply.

Kalawao Jurisdiction and Unique Inmate Records Path

Kalawao covers the Kalaupapa peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. The rest of Molokai is part of Maui County. The peninsula was set aside in 1866 as a leprosy settlement. It is now part of the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, run by the National Park Service with help from the state Department of Health.

Because there is no elected county board, Kalawao runs under the Hawaii State Department of Health. The Maui County offices of the Department of Health handle day-to-day work. For law enforcement or public safety calls, the Maui Office of Hawaii Department of Health can be reached at (808) 586-4412.

Any criminal arrest on the peninsula follows Maui Police procedures. People are taken off the peninsula by boat or small plane and moved to MCCC in Wailuku. From there, the standard Maui court process kicks in.

Because the peninsula has no local clerk, records requests for Kalawao residents start at the Maui Police records unit or the Second Circuit clerk in Wailuku. Both offices take mail requests and phone calls from any island.

Maui Community Correctional Center and the Kalawao Inmate Population

MCCC at 600 Waiale Drive in Wailuku is the jail that holds any Kalawao inmates. The main phone is (808) 243-5861. A second line is (808) 243-5858. The MCCC page lists visit and mail rules.

MCCC has an operational capacity of 301 beds. Average daily count runs around 363, so the facility runs about 120% over design. Most inmates come from Maui itself. A small share come from Molokai, Lanai, and the rare Kalawao case.

For Kalawao family members, the MCCC phone line is the right place to start. Staff can confirm if someone is in custody. They can also walk through mail and visit rules.

Molokai District Court for Kalawao Cases

Court cases from Kalawao are filed in the Second Circuit. Hearings sometimes take place at the Molokai District Court. The main Molokai number is (808) 553-1100. The main Second Circuit courthouse, Hoapili Hale, is at 2145 Main Street in Wailuku.

See the Molokai Circuit Court page for hearing schedules. Use eCourt Kokua to search case files by name or number.

Because few cases come from Kalawao, the clerk's office in Wailuku often handles the work by mail. Hearings can be held by phone or video when the defendant is still on the peninsula.

Statewide Tools That Apply to Kalawao County

Because Kalawao has no local agencies, most inmate searches start at the state level. Three main state tools apply.

• SAVIN on VINE tracks custody status and sends free release alerts.
• HCJDC records check runs full statewide criminal history searches for $30 per name.
• Hawaii Sex Offender Registry lists registered offenders under HRS § 846E-02.

SAVIN works well for Kalawao family members because alerts can be sent by text or email. That is useful when you do not live near a facility or court.

Here is a view of SAVIN/VINE, which covers every state facility and works for any Hawaii inmate, no matter the county.

The Hawaii VINE site has signup links. Alerts are free and come by phone, text, or email. You can pick which events you want to hear about.

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Access

DCR runs all state prisons and jails in Hawaii. The DCR home page lists each facility and its staff. Kalawao inmates start at MCCC and may move to Halawa, Waiawa, WCCC, or Kulani based on sentence and gender.

Here is a view of the DCR home page, which links to every state facility and to the main records tools.

See the DPS Corrections overview for more on the state system. Kalawao inmates have the same rights and access to programs as any other inmate in Hawaii. HRS Chapter 353 sets those rights.

Full Criminal History Checks for Kalawao Names

HCJDC runs the only statewide criminal history check in Hawaii. The fee is $30 per name. Results come back in writing and list all known state arrests and court outcomes. If there is no record, the letter says so.

You can run the check online or in person at a Public Access Site. No Public Access Site sits on Molokai, so most Kalawao and Molokai residents use the Wailuku site on Maui or the sites on Oahu. See the full list on the HCJDC Public Access Sites page.

The HCJDC FAQ lists what shows up and what is left out. Under HRS § 846-9, non-conviction data is held back from most public checks. HRS § 571-84 keeps juvenile records closed.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park and Access Rules

Kalaupapa is a National Historical Park. Access is by permit only. The park rules tie back to the history of the leprosy settlement that ran from 1866 into the 20th century. Only a small number of day visitors are allowed at a time.

This matters for records work because any arrest on the peninsula is rare. Most people there are staff, park workers, or invited guests. The state Department of Health and the National Park Service coordinate on law enforcement calls.

Even so, the public records rules are the same. If you are looking for a Kalawao inmate or past arrest, the records trail runs through Maui agencies and the state-level tools listed here.

Your Rights to Kalawao Inmate Records Under UIPA

Hawaii's open records law is HRS Chapter 92F, known as UIPA. The full text is at UIPA on Justia. Under this law, most jail rosters, arrest logs, and court filings are public. That rule applies to Kalawao just as it does to any other county.

HRS § 92F-12(a)(13) lists records that must be shared on request. HRS § 92F-13 lists the main reasons an agency can deny a record. HRS § 846-9 sets out the rules for non-conviction data. HRS § 831-3.2 covers expungement of eligible past arrests.

The Office of Information Practices helps if a request is denied. OIP runs free training and has sample request letters on its site.

Related Hawaii Inmate Records Tools

A few more state tools can help round out a Kalawao search. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center forms page lists request forms and statewide data. The Hawaii Correctional Industries page shows work lines that train inmates in trades.

HRS § 353-11 and HRS § 353-12 spell out the rules for inmate intake, housing, and records at DCR facilities. HRS § 353L covers parole. These rules apply to any Kalawao inmate held at MCCC or later moved to a state prison.

For juvenile cases, HRS § 571-84 keeps records closed. For sex offenders, HRS § 846E-02 requires registration and public listing on the state site. These apply to Kalawao inmates the same as to any other Hawaii resident.

How to Ask for a Kalawao Inmate Record

Start with the Maui Police records unit if the arrest was recent. Call (808) 244-6345 or (808) 244-6355 in Wailuku. Staff can tell you if the case is local and how to ask for a copy. Fees run from $5 to $25 under Hawaii Admin Rules §8-101-6.

For a full history, use HCJDC. The $30 fee gives you a letter with all known state arrests and court outcomes. For custody status, use SAVIN. For court files, use eCourt Kokua.

Keep in mind that Kalawao has very few bookings, so some searches will come back empty. That is normal for a county of this size. The tools still work the same way as for any other Hawaii inmate search.