Potential Parolees Required to be Vaccinated Prior to Release

The Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority (HPA) will now require eligible inmates to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to their release on parole, effective immediately.

The Department of Public Safety (PSD) Health Care Division staff will provide the vaccine for those unvaccinated inmates who elect to get the shot. Exemption from vaccination may be granted on grounds of a medical condition that contraindicates administration of the COVID-19 vaccine or due to religious belief, practice, or observance.

Requests for exemptions will be reviewed by the HPA on a case-by-case basis and if granted, the parolee must present a negative test result on a weekly basis once released into the community.

“I am confident that this requirement will help reduce the spread of infection within the correctional facilities, and safeguard our businesses, families and the community at large,” said Edmund “Fred” Hyun, Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority Chair.

Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center continues to battle a COVID-19 cluster among its prisoners. There are currently 20 active cases among inmates and four among staff. PSD recently tested at the facility where results are pending.

COVID-19 testing is continuously being conducted in the state prisons and jails as well as in the contracted Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Ariz. PSD continues to encourage all staff and inmates to voluntarily get tested and receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

The latest testing updates received for the correctional facilities are as follows:

• Oʻahu Community Correctional Center – 29 inmate test results: Six positive, 23 negative. There were also 42 inmate recoveries noted, decreasing the total active positive inmate case count to 65. One employee has also recovered.
• Halawa Correctional Facility – 204 inmate test results: Three positive, 201 negative.
• Maui Community Correctional Center – 118 inmate test results: One positive, 117 negative.
• Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center – One positive inmate test result.
• Women’s Community Correctional Center – Eight negative inmate test results.

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 here.