David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – On October 14, the Department of Public Safety (PSD) announced the implementation of a vaccine incentive program for inmates. Inmates in PSD custody on or after March 3, 2021, through December 31, 2024, who are still in custody, and fully vaccinated against COVID-19, are eligible to receive a one-time incentive award of $50. PSD is now offering an additional $25 incentive for all fully vaccinated inmates who choose to receive the booster shot. The payments are deposited into the inmate’s spendable trust account.

“The continuing goal of this initiative is to get as many inmates as possible vaccinated. This will help ensure their health and safety, as well as that of our dedicated staff,” said Tommy Johnson, Deputy Director for Corrections.

PSD requested and received approval for $615,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds to be specifically used as an incentive initiative for offenders in custody. So far $146,400 has been expended.

COVID-19 testing is continuously being conducted in the state prisons and jails as well as in the contracted Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, AZ. The latest testing updates received for other correctional facilities are as follows:

Oahu Community Correctional Center –159 inmate test results; 42 positive, 117 negative. 69 staff test results; three (3) positive, 66 negative.

Hawaii Community Correctional Center – 64 inmate results; four (4) positive, 60 negative. Four (4) staff test results received; three (3) positive and one (1) negative.

Maui Community Correctional Center –Three (3) inmate test results: One (1) positive, two (2) negative. Two (2) positive staff test results.

Kauai Community Correctional Center – Three (3) positive staff test results, 25 negative inmate test results.

Waiawa Correctional Facility – One (1) positive staff test result, 12 negative inmate test results.

Halawa Correctional Facility – One (1) positive staff test result. Four (4) employees have recovered.

COVID-19 updates for other PSD Divisions are as follows:

Sheriff Division – 16 positive staff test results. Two (2) previously reported positive Sheriff Division employees on Oahu have recovered.

Administration Division (Oahu) – Three (3) positive staff test results. One (1) previously reported positive Training and Staff Development (TSD) section corrections officer recruit has recovered.

The Department of Public Safety (PSD) continues to encourage all staff and inmates to voluntarily get tested and receive the COVID-19 vaccination. For more detailed inmate testing data, PSD’s Pandemic Plan and information on response efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit the dedicated COVID-19 webpage at: https://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/.

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawaii Department of Public Safety
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
[email protected]
https://hawaii.gov/psd/
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/HawaiiPSD
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HawaiiPSD