Question: Is there a website that lists violent criminals who have their sentences reduced or are paroled? Are victims notified of this?
Answer: No, the state doesn’t have a public website that lists such information. Victims can request status updates about prisoners who had committed violence against them. Here’s the full response from Hawaii’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which explains how victims can sign up for notifications:
“If the victim is working with a victim/witness counselor from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Victim/Witness Assistance Unit in any county in the state, generally that counselor will keep the victim informed of court proceedings and assist the victim throughout the criminal justice process from pre-trial up until the offender’s minimum hearing with the Hawai‘i Paroling Authority. Victims can request manual notifications of custody status changes via phone call or letter from the facility or through their victim’s counselor.
“Victims can also register for Hawai‘i SAVIN (Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification) which is managed by the Hawai‘i Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s SAVIN Coordination Office. This office assists victims through the offender’s incarceration, post-conviction, and throughout the parole process. The SAVIN system provides 24/7 access to information and notification of an offender’s custody status through the VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) link.
“The SAVIN/VINE system sends automated notifications via email, text, phone, and/or via app to those who are registered for information on an inmate. Notifications are sent out on the release, transfer, escape, or death of an inmate. SAVIN/VINE also sends notifications for releases on parole, upcoming parole hearing dates, notice of a request for minimum reduction, as well as parole hearing outcomes.
“Notifications for release dates also go out 30 days and 14 days in advance of a scheduled release date.
“The SAVIN/VINE system does not send notifications out when an inmate is sentenced or when an inmate’s court sentence is reduced, however, a notification is sent when the inmate is transferred from jail to prison.
“For information on how to register for SAVIN/VINE, visit vinelink.com or contact the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s SAVIN Coordinator Tani Dydasco at 808-587-1356.”
A “minimum hearing” is the proceeding at which the Hawaii Paroling Authority sets an inmate’s minimum term. This hearing must be held within six months of the inmate’s imprisonment, unless the inmate will never be eligible for parole.
Q: How much did the Maui Strong Fund raise after the Maui wildfires? What about GoFundMe?
A: As of Friday, about $180.2 million has been donated to the Maui Strong Fund, including interest earned, according to the Hawaii Community Foundation, which administers the fund. As of Feb. 1, nearly $88 million of the fund has been “awarded and committed” to grantees, who are listed on the foundation’s website, hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/.
On GoFundMe.com, meanwhile, a total of more than $60 million has been raised in direct campaigns for victims of the wildfires that devastated Kula and Lahaina six months ago. GoFundMe says that more than 360,000 people from all U.S. states and more than 100 other countries have contributed. Dozens of verified campaigns are listed at gofundme.com/c/act/ wildfire-relief/maui.
Mahalo
I was caught in the rain waiting for a bus Friday morning and a kind man shared his umbrella. Handed it over, actually, because, as he said, I was “dressed for work and (he) was dressed for enjoying life.” That made me laugh, and I did appreciate his kind gesture. Sorry he got wet and I hope he enjoyed his day off. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
