Extra $25 Booster Shot Incentive Offered to Fully Vaccinated Inmates

On Oct. 14, the Department of Public Safety announced the implementation of a vaccine incentive program for inmates. Inmates in PSD custody on or after March 3, 2021, through Dec. 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 stated in a press release Monday, Jan. 3 that it 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:

O‘ahu Community Correctional Center –159 inmate test results; 42 positive, 117 negative. 69 staff test results; three positive, 66 negative.

Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center – 64 inmate results; four positive, 60 negative. Four staff test results received; three positive and one negative.

Maui Community Correctional Center –Three inmate test results: One positive, two negative. Two positive staff test results.

Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center – Three positive staff test results, 25 negative inmate test results.

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

Halawa Correctional Facility – One positive staff test result. Four employees have recovered.

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

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

Administration Division (O‘ahu) – Three positive staff test results. One 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.