Hawaiʻi Prison Suicides Surge: Reform Demands Grow | Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaiʻi Prisons Face Crisis: Rising Suicide Rates Prompt Calls for Reform

Data recently compiled by Honolulu Civil Beat reveals a deeply concerning trend within the Hawaiʻi correctional system. Over the past two years, confirmed or suspected suicides have accounted for more than half of all deaths at Hālawa Correctional Facility, the state’s largest prison. Statewide, these incidents comprised one-third of all fatalities within Hawaiʻi’s correctional facilities during 2024 and 2025. This elevated rate signals a significant crisis demanding immediate attention and systemic change.

The statistics paint a stark picture of distress within the incarcerated population. In 2024, fatalities stemming from drug overdoses, homicides, and suicides collectively represented 50% of all deaths in Hawaiʻi jails – a total of eight deaths out of sixteen. This concerning pattern continued into 2025, with such deaths accounting for 61% of the total, or eleven out of eighteen fatalities. These figures underscore a troubling reality of preventable loss within the state’s correctional institutions.

Disparities Compared to National Averages

The high incidence of suicide within Hawaiʻi’s prison system stands in sharp contrast to national data. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, suicides accounted for only 8% of all deaths in state and federal prisons across the country in 2019 – the most recent year for which comprehensive data is available. Christin Johnson, oversight coordinator for the Hawaiʻi Correctional System Oversight Commission, expressed her dismay, stating, “I don’t think it’s normal, and I think it’s devastating.” She further emphasized the preventable nature of these tragedies, adding, “I think any deaths in custody are absolutely devastating, but particularly deaths that potentially can be prevented.”

The disparity is particularly pronounced when comparing prison suicides to jail suicides within the state. While Hālawa prison alone recorded eight suspected or confirmed suicides during 2024 and 2025, only one suicide occurred in a Hawaiʻi jail during each of those years. This is unusual, as suicide rates are typically higher in jails, where inmates are often serving shorter sentences or awaiting trial, compared to prisons housing convicted felons with longer terms.

Addressing the Crisis: Funding and New Initiatives

In response to repeated lawsuits concerning suicides in its facilities, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) permitted national experts to evaluate mental health services provided to inmates last year. The resulting report highlighted “atrocious” conditions and inadequate treatment for mentally ill individuals within understaffed facilities. Consequently, DCR Director Tommy Johnson is now requesting over $2.6 million from lawmakers to bolster mental health services and overall medical care. This funding would facilitate the hiring of nearly three dozen new healthcare professionals, including psychiatrists and nurses, as part of a settlement agreement stemming from a class action lawsuit.

Director Johnson also outlined plans to implement a new suicide risk assessment algorithm and utilize biometric monitoring via ankle bracelets for at-risk inmates. The goal is to proactively identify individuals in crisis and enable faster intervention. This pilot program, initially slated for Oʻahu Community Correctional Center, the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua, and potentially Hālawa, will involve assessments of hundreds of inmates.

Systemic Challenges: Staffing and Facility Conditions

Despite ongoing recruitment efforts, Hawaiʻi’s correctional system continues to grapple with a severe staffing shortage. As of late November, the DCR reported 435 vacant Adult Corrections Officer (ACO) positions out of a total of 1,535, representing a vacancy rate of approximately 28%. This figure doesn’t account for officers absent due to injury or family medical leave, further exacerbating the crisis. Christin Johnson emphasized the impact of these shortages, stating, “The staffing crisis is still very, very real.”

Insufficient staffing often leads to extended lockdowns, limiting inmate access to essential programs, recreation, family visits, and other activities crucial for mental wellbeing. Experts like Michele Deitch, director of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas, point to the importance of “out of cell time” as a vital component of suicide prevention. Furthermore, Director Johnson acknowledged that Hawaiʻi’s aging and “antiquated” facilities contribute to the problem, hindering effective monitoring of inmates. Addressing these systemic challenges is paramount to improving safety and reducing preventable deaths within the Hawaiʻi correctional system.