Hawaiʻi to transfer mentally ill inmates to Waiawa prison

The Hawaiʻi Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation plans to transfer approximately 40 minimum-security inmates with mental health issues from the Hālawa Correctional Facility to the Waiawa Correctional Facility in Central Oʻahu.

Tommy Johnson, director of the department, stated the plan involves converting an entire dormitory at the Waiawa minimum-security work camp into a more therapeutic environment. To qualify for the transfer, inmates must be stabilized on their medications and be within 60 months or less of their parole or release dates.

While some experts support the move due to limited mental health services in the current prison system, others have expressed concerns. State Representative Trish La Chica questioned the adequacy of the care at Waiawa, noting that the facility was not specifically designed or built as a specialized mental health treatment center.