Among the challenges many inmates face upon release from prison is the lack of official identification. Now, thanks to a new Department of Public Safety program, inmates can get a REAL State ID, which serves as certified identification documentation.

What You Need To Know

  • The program was developed with the help of the Honolulu Department of Customer Service, Motor Vehicle, Licenses and Permits and the State Department of Transportation

  • The Halawa Correctional Facility has been outfitted with a machine, which remotely connects to the City and county system, to take inmate pictures and capture signatures

  • ID cards are stored in the inmate’s file and issued upon the inmate’s release from custody

  • PSD will upgrade the equipment at HCF and purchase additional machines for the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua, the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo, and the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku

“Legal identification is required for most basic needs, such as applying for state financial assistance, housing, medical coverage and to secure employment,” said PSD Deputy Director for Corrections Tommy Johnson. “When I came on board as deputy director for corrections in late 2020, one of my first priorities was to make this program a reality. Thanks in large part to the agreement with the DOT and the City and county, offenders are now eligible to order a REAL ID State ID prior to release.”  

The program was developed with the help of the Honolulu Department of Customer Service, Motor Vehicle, Licenses and Permits and the State Department of Transportation.

“HDOT appreciates PSD leading the coordination that went into this program to ensure that people reentering Hawaii’s communities have the documents they need to do so successfully,” said DOT Deputy Director for Highways Ed Sniffen. “Throughout the process, REAL ID standards remained in place to provide the necessary identity safeguards for consistent and secure IDs.”

The Halawa Correctional Facility has been outfitted with a machine, which remotely connects to the City and county system, to take inmate pictures and capture signatures. The City and County then processes the information and notifies the facility when the inmate’s new State ID is ready for pickup. ID cards are stored in the inmate’s file and issued upon the inmate’s release from custody.

The City and County Department of Customer Service, Motor Vehicle, Licenses and Permits will upgrade their equipment in the coming year. Once the upgrade is complete, PSD will upgrade the equipment at HCF and purchase additional machines for the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua, the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo and the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku.

In addition to REAL State IDs, PSD now also issues free bus passes to eligible exiting offenders.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.