The Kauai County Inmate Population
Kauai County inmate population data begins with Kauai Community Correctional Center, usually called KCCC. Hawaii does not use a mainland-style county sheriff jail model. The Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation operates the local jail function through community correctional centers, and KCCC is the state facility serving Kauai and the Fifth Circuit. The population can include pretrial misdemeanor and felony defendants, sentenced misdemeanants, probation and parole violators, people held for another jurisdiction, and transitional sentenced felons returning from longer felony sentences.
The Kauai Police Department Cell Block is the other custody point, but it is not a public jail with housing programs or visitor rules. It is short-term police holding for recent arrestees before release, court, bail, or transfer. That distinction matters because the KPD arrest log may show a person as not released or sent to court, while DCR custody status may not appear until the person reaches KCCC or another DCR point. KPD, KCCC, eCourt Kokua, SAVIN, BOP, and ICE each answer a different record question.
Kauai County Inmate Population Statistics
The clearest current figures come from DCR facility pages and DCR population reports. DCR describes KCCC as a 128-bed facility on its public KCCC page. The March 31, 2026 DCR end-of-month population report lists 110 design beds, 128 operational beds, a KCCC head count ending of 92, and an assigned count ending of 98. Recent snapshots reviewed show KCCC below operational capacity, but the reports should be read as dated counts rather than a live roster.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Date |
|---|---|---|
| KCCC public facility capacity | 128-bed facility | DCR KCCC page, crawled 2026 |
| KCCC design capacity | 110 beds | DCR end-of-month report, March 31, 2026 |
| KCCC operational capacity | 128 beds | DCR end-of-month report, March 31, 2026 |
| KCCC head count ending | 92 people | DCR end-of-month report, March 31, 2026 |
| KCCC assigned count ending | 98 people | DCR end-of-month report, March 31, 2026 |
Kauai County Inmate Population Trends
The recent DCR snapshots show a local jail population that moves within a narrow range, while older annual-report material shows a much higher historical average. The FY 2008 annual-report snippet recorded KCCC at 140 average daily population and 917 new admits, but that figure is historical and should not be used as a current crowding number. DCR's current relocation materials focus on flood risk, infrastructure limits, and Kuhio Highway impacts, not on a present overcrowding finding.
| Date | KCCC Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2008 | 140 ADP; 917 new admits | Historical PSD annual-report context |
| Sept. 8, 2025 | 94 head count | Weekly report, 73.4% of operational capacity |
| Nov. 30, 2025 | 82 head count; 91 assigned | DCR end-of-month report |
| Mar. 31, 2026 | 92 head count; 98 assigned | DCR end-of-month report |
The DCR Corrections Division population-report page is the right place to watch for statewide weekly and end-of-month updates. That source lists Hawaii jails, prisons, and population reports in one place.
The DCR page helps keep Kauai numbers separate from statewide prison and mainland contract-facility counts.
Who Makes Up the Kauai County Inmate Population
DCR's March 31, 2026 KCCC head-count table lists 77 males and 15 females. By legal-status category, it lists sentenced felony, sentenced/probation, sentenced misdemeanor, pretrial felony, pretrial misdemeanor, other jurisdiction, parole violator, and probation violator categories. The largest category in that snapshot was pretrial felony, with 30 males and 3 females. Pretrial misdemeanor was smaller, with 7 males and 4 females. DCR also reported 8 male and 1 female sentenced misdemeanant in the head-count table.
- Pretrial felony: 33 people in the March 31, 2026 head-count table.
- Pretrial misdemeanor: 11 people in the same DCR snapshot.
- Sentenced misdemeanor: 9 people in the same head-count table.
- Probation and parole violators: DCR lists these as separate custody-status rows.
- Race, age, and offense-class detail: no KCCC public table was located in the official sources reviewed.
Kauai County Jail Capacity
KCCC was below 128 operational beds in the recent snapshots reviewed: 94 people on September 8, 2025, 82 people on November 30, 2025, and 92 people on March 31, 2026. That does not erase facility pressure. DCR budget narratives note rising pretrial population as a statewide community-correctional-center issue because island-based pretrial detainees cannot simply be moved off-island after arrest. On Kauai, facility replacement is also tied to the age and location of the building.
DCR's February 11, 2025 relocation release says the current KCCC was built in 1977, is flood-prone, sits next to Kuhio Highway, and has faced infrastructure limits for decades. DCR identified land off Maalo Road in Lihue as the preferred future site after a community symposium, with about 20 to 30 usable acres and access to support services. The release cited a $20 million legislative allocation for relocation and redevelopment.
Laws for Kauai County Inmate Records
Public access to Kauai inmate population and arrest records is controlled by Hawaii law and by the agency that holds the record. The KPD Records Section reviews police-report requests under the Uniform Information Practices Act. DCR keeps custody and population data for KCCC. Court charges and docket entries are held by the Hawaii Judiciary, not by KCCC. A useful request starts with the correct office and a narrow description of the record.
Key Statutes and Rules:
HRS Chapter 92F is Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act, the public-records law used for agency record requests.
HRS Chapter 846 governs criminal history record information and is cited in Hawaii mugshot-access guidance.
HRS 353-40 requires DCR death-in-custody reporting for correctional facilities and community correctional centers.
HRS 831-3.2 covers expungement orders for certain qualifying arrest records.
Kauai County and State Prison
KCCC is a community correctional center, not a separate county sheriff jail, and DCR operates both Hawaii jails and prisons in one statewide system. The DCR Corrections Division lists jails at Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu community correctional centers. It also lists prisons at Halawa, Waiawa, Kulani, Women's Community Correctional Center, and Saguaro Correctional Center on the mainland. No state prison, BOP prison, or ICE detention center was located in Kauai County in the official sources reviewed.
After sentencing, a Kauai case can stop looking like a local jail search. A longer-term sentenced felon may remain in DCR custody but move to another Hawaii prison or to a contracted mainland facility. Federal custody moves through the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals District of Hawaii. Immigration detention uses ICE ODLS. These systems do not replace KCCC and KPD searches for a very recent local arrest.
Search the Kauai County Inmate Population
The primary online custody lookup is Hawaii SAVIN through VINELink. DCR describes SAVIN as a free, anonymous custody and parole status notification system for offenders under DCR jurisdiction. It can be used at VINELink.com, by phone at 1-877-846-3444, through the VINELink mobile app, or by TTY at 1-866-847-1298. SAVIN is a custody-status and notification system, not a public booking-record packet.
- Start with Hawaii SAVIN or VINELink and select Hawaii as the state.
- Search by the person's name. Use an offender number or case number if one is known.
- Review custody or parole status and any facility information shown by the system.
- If the person is not found, check the KPD Arrest Log for a recent arrest.
- For a federal or immigration case, use BOP, USMS, or ICE channels instead of KCCC.
Kauai County Inmate Search Fields
SAVIN and the KPD Arrest Log have different fields because they answer different questions. SAVIN supports custody-status lookup and notifications. KPD publishes daily media arrest-report PDFs, usually printed around 6 a.m., with arrest and release-disposition fields. The KPD arrest log is useful for a person arrested today or yesterday, but it is not a live KCCC roster.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| State / jurisdiction | Dropdown | Yes | Select Hawaii in VINELink. |
| Offender Name / Defendant / Respondent Name | Text | Unspecified | Use exact spelling when possible. |
| Offender Number / Case Number | Text | Optional or where applicable | Not every public record has a number. |
| Notification method | Account option | Optional for search | Phone, text, email, in-app, or TTY notification options. |
| Four-digit PIN | Numeric | For phone notifications | Used to confirm receipt of notification calls. |
The VINELink public search interface is the public-facing system used with Hawaii SAVIN.
Use VINELink for DCR custody status, then switch to KPD or court records when the question is about a very recent arrest or filed charge.
Past Kauai County Inmate Records
No official Kauai roster retention rule was located because no KCCC-only public roster was found. Past or released records may require a records request, court search, or criminal-history request depending on the record. KPD Records handles police reports, DCR/KCCC handles correctional custody records, the Judiciary handles court filings, and the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center handles eCrim name-based criminal history checks.
KPD says public police report requests are reviewed for confidentiality and asks users to allow 48 hours for a response. It also says reports are generally releasable once the investigative process is complete and the case is closed, with redactions under HRS 92F-13. For formal charges and case status, eCourt Kokua is the better source than a police media report.
What Kauai County Inmate Records Show
Official Kauai public record fields are split across several systems. The KPD daily media arrest report can show name, residence city, arrest date and time, sex, age, charge, release disposition, and total charges. SAVIN materials do not publish a full public profile example, so do not expect a guaranteed charge, bond, mugshot, or housing-unit field there. eCourt Kokua is where formal court charges, filings, hearing dates, and public documents appear after filing.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Arrestee name | KPD arrest-log PDF field, not current custody confirmation by itself. |
| Arrest date/time | Time listed in the daily media arrest report. |
| Charge | Police/media charge label; formal court charges may differ. |
| Release disposition | Shows bailed, released to court, not released, or similar status. |
| SAVIN status | DCR custody or parole status and notification information. |
| Court case ID | Formal eCourt Kokua case number after a filing exists. |
Kauai County Jail vs Prison Search
Most search errors happen when the wrong system is used. KCCC is the local jail/community correctional center for Kauai, while KPD handles short-term police detention and arrest reports. Sentenced felony prisoners may move into another DCR prison or Saguaro. Federal and immigration custody are separate from Hawaii DCR custody.
| Custody Type | Who Holds It | Where to Look |
|---|---|---|
| Local jail and DCR custody | Kauai Community Correctional Center / DCR | Hawaii SAVIN, VINELink, KCCC phone |
| Very recent arrest | Kauai Police Department Cell Block | KPD Arrest Log, Cell Block, Intake/Detention Sergeant |
| Formal criminal case | Hawaii Judiciary, Fifth Circuit | eCourt Kokua and courthouse records |
| Federal criminal custody | BOP or U.S. Marshals | BOP locator, USMS District of Hawaii, federal court records |
| Immigration detention | ICE or CBP | ICE ODLS and ICE contact center |
Kauai County Detention Facilities
The facility map has two Kauai custody locations. They should not be treated as duplicates. KCCC is the state-run community correctional center that performs the jail function for Kauai. The KPD Cell Block is a short-term police holding point for recent arrests before release, court, or transfer.
- Kauai Community Correctional Center holds Kauai's DCR jail population, including pretrial, short-sentence, violator, and transitional sentenced categories.
- Kauai Police Department Cell Block handles short-term police detention and recent-arrest questions before the person is released, taken to court, or transferred.
Kauai County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Kauai County inmate population?
DCR's March 31, 2026 end-of-month report listed KCCC with a head count ending of 92 and an assigned count ending of 98. The same report listed 128 operational beds and 110 design beds for KCCC.
Does Kauai have a county sheriff jail roster?
No ordinary Kauai County sheriff roster was located in official sources. Hawaii's jail function is state-operated through DCR, so public lookup relies on SAVIN/VINELink, KPD arrest logs, KCCC phone contact, records requests, and court records.
Where are recent arrests listed?
The KPD Arrest Log posts daily media arrest-report PDFs with fields such as arrestee name, arrest date, charge, and release disposition. It is not a live jail roster.
Can a person move out of Kauai lookup channels?
Yes. Sentenced DCR prisoners may move to another state prison or Saguaro, federal detainees use BOP or USMS channels, and immigration detainees use ICE ODLS rather than the KCCC local custody path.