The Hawaii jail roster is a public resource that allows residents to look up individuals currently held in county jail facilities on Hawaiʻi Island. HawaiiCourt.us can help you find publicly available information about current and recent inmates. You can also access jail roster information through the Hawaiʻi Police Department website, which maintains booking logs, or by calling or visiting the police department in person. A jail roster search lets members of the public confirm whether someone is in custody, view booking details, and review listed charges. In Hawaii County, the Hawaiʻi Police Department handles arrests and booking, and posts booking logs on its website. These logs are updated regularly and serve as the county's primary public transparency tool for arrest and custody information.
Search Current Inmates in Hawaii Jail
There are several ways to search for someone currently in custody in Hawaii County:
Online Search
- Visit HawaiiCourt.us to search for publicly available court and inmate information.
- Go to the Hawaiʻi Police Department's booking logs page to view recent arrests. The logs are published as browsable lists organized by date. You can use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to locate a specific name.
- To check on an inmate's current custody status in a state facility, use the VINELink inmate notification system, which the Hawaiʻi Police Department directs the public to for monitoring inmate status.
By Phone
Call the Hawaiʻi Police Department's non-emergency line to ask whether a specific individual is currently in custody. Have the person's full legal name and date of birth ready.
In Person
You can inquire in person at the Hawaiʻi Police Department headquarters:
To begin a search, you will generally need:
- The individual's full legal name (first and last)
- A booking number, if known
- Date of birth (helpful for narrowing results)
Juvenile offenders are excluded from public booking logs and roster information. Only adult arrests are published.
Find Hawaii Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created each time an individual is processed into a jail facility after arrest. In Hawaii County, police have 48 hours to charge an individual after arrest, and the booking log data covers individuals who have been arrested and booked during that window.
Each booking record typically includes:
- Full name of the arrested individual
- Date and time of arrest
- Charges filed
- Arresting agency
- Bail amount (if set)
The Hawaiʻi Police Department publishes these records on its booking logs page. The logs are organized by date and can be browsed directly on the website.
For deeper criminal history searches beyond the booking log, the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC) maintains statewide criminal conviction records. The public can search adult conviction information through the eCrim portal. Note that eCrim shows conviction records only — not pending charges or current custody status.
If you need a copy of a police report related to an arrest, you can request one from the Hawaiʻi Police Department's Records and Identification Section. Written requests can be mailed to:
Search the Hawaii Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The Hawaiʻi Police Department's booking logs are published as date-organized lists rather than a searchable database with dedicated search fields. To find a specific person:
Search by Last Name
- Open the booking logs page.
- Select the date range you want to review.
- Use your browser's built-in search (Ctrl+F on Windows, Cmd+F on Mac) and type the person's last name.
- If the last name is common, add the first name to narrow results.
Search by Booking Number
If you have a booking number, you can use the same browser search method to locate the specific entry within the log.
Tips for Searching
- Use correct spelling of the full legal name — nicknames and aliases may not appear in the log.
- Try alternate spellings if the name doesn't come up on the first attempt.
- If you cannot find someone in the booking log, they may have already been released, transferred to a state correctional facility, or the record may not yet have been posted.
- For court case information tied to an arrest, search the eCourt Kokua system, which covers circuit, district, family, and appellate cases statewide.
If you still cannot locate the person, call the Hawaiʻi Police Department directly at (808) 935-3311 and ask about their custody status.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Hawaii
The Hawaiʻi Police Department's booking logs are updated regularly, but they are not a real-time roster. There are practical limitations to keep in mind:
- Posting delays: There can be a gap between when someone is booked and when their information appears on the booking log. Police have up to 48 hours to charge an individual after arrest, and the log may not reflect the booking immediately.
- Current custody only: The booking log reflects recent arrests and bookings. It is not a comprehensive archive of all past bookings. Once an individual is released or transferred, their entry may no longer appear.
- State facility transfers: Individuals transferred to a state correctional facility, such as the Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCCC) in Hilo, will no longer appear on the police department's booking log. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation manages those facilities separately.
- Data entry lags: Names, charges, or bail amounts may be updated after initial posting as cases are processed.
- No juvenile records: Minors are never included in public booking logs or roster data.
For ongoing monitoring of an inmate's status — including notifications about release or transfer — the Hawaiʻi Police Department recommends using VINELink, accessible through the department's inmate information page.
If you need historical arrest or conviction records that are no longer on the booking log, submit a request to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center or search the eCrim portal for adult conviction information. Arrest records that resulted in convictions are generally considered public record under Hawaii law.