Covering the Cost: The cost of incarceration and Hawaii’s prison system

News admin June 3, 2026 0 Comments

Covering the Cost: The cost of incarceration and Hawaii’s prison system

In HNN’s new livestream show “Covering the Cost with Annalisa Burgos,” we break down the numbers behind Hawaii’s affordability crisis in candid conversations with financial experts, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – In this episode of “Covering the Cost” on June 3 at 12:30 p.m., Annalisa Burgos sits down with criminal justice reform advocate Kat Brady to talk about the cost of incarceration and the impact of Hawaii’s prison system on its economy.

Hawaii spends about $112,000 a year, more than $300 a day, to lock up one person, nearly double the national average. Nearly half of those released are back behind bars within three years.

Still, Hawaii’s incarceration rate has dropped 35% over the past decade,

In 2024, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety split into two separate agencies to better focus on their respective responsibilities: the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR).

DCR director Tommy Johnson has said he’s focused on providing more support and social services for inmates so they can transition successfully back into society.

But Brady, coordinator of the Community Alliance on Prisons and a three-decade advocate for prison reform, says not enough is being done, especially for those sitting in prison unable to pay bail as low as $50.

Nearly 70% of the people at Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) haven’t been convicted of a crime and are pretrial detainees.

The state is planning to replace the outdated OCCC, with a proposed modern jail expected to cost $1 billion.

According to DCR, 6.7 percent of the state’s jail population describe themselves as homeless or having no permanent address.

About 30% of those held in OCCC are Native Hawaiian. One in five are held for technical parole violations, not new crimes.

Every legislative session, Brady lobbies lawmakers and other officials to address system inequities and push for policies that ensure humane treatment of those in jails and prisons.

That includes addressing the root problems that lead to incarceration — homelessness and mental health issues.

Catch “Covering the Cost with Annalisa Burgos” Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. online, on HNN’s streaming app and anywhere you get your podcasts.

From skyrocketing housing prices to the country’s highest tax burden, Annalisa is covering the cost of aloha in America’s most expensive state and offering practical strategies, policy insights, and honest talk about what it really takes to call Hawaii home.