Mortality Data and Related Policies, 2000-2020
| Submitted | May 19, 2021 |
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Communications
From: COVID Prison Project
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act, I hereby request the following records:
Hawaii Department of Public Safety
Office of the Director
Phone: (808) 587-1288
Fax: (808) 587-1282
To Whom It May Concern:
Under the Hawaii Open Records Law § 91-1 et seq., I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records that
– Those which include time and date of all instances of death occurring in the offender population between January 2000 and December 2020.
– Those which indicate the total number of individuals in Hawaii Department of Corrections (HDOC) custody who died by any cause, separated monthly, from January 2000 to December 2020.
– Monthly population records that include the total number of deaths occurring among people in the custody of the ADOC between January 2000 and December 2020.
– Certificates of death for all individuals in HDOC custody who died between January 2000 and December 2020.
Additionally, I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of any and all HDOC policies, regulations, and procedures, pertaining to...
– Investigations of in-custody deaths.
– Requirements for the performance of an autopsy or post-mortem medical examination of individuals who die while in HDOC custody.
– The reporting of in-custody deaths to other governmental agencies.
– Next-of-kin notification in the event of in-custody deaths.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me. However, I would also like to request a waiver of all fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute significantly to the public’s understanding of Hawaii's death and mortality policies. This information is not being sought for commercial purposes.
The Hawaii Open Records Law requires a response time within ten business days. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than ten days, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.
If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.
Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Forrest Behne
Policy Director, COVID Prison Project
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office: (919) 391-7962
340 MacNider Hall | Campus Box 7240
333 South Columbia Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7240
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
COVID Prison Project
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 19, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Hawaii Department Of Corrections
The response to your request is being worked on. I am unable to give a definite date, but need additional time to respond.
Thank you.
Laurie Nadamoto
Litigation Coordination Officer
Department of Public Safety
1177 Alakea St. Room 502
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)587-1416
This E-mail (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. This electronic transmission is for the sole use of those identified by the author and is the property of the author. Any further distribution or copying of this message is prohibited by law. If you received this in error, please notify the author at 808-587-1416 and destroy the message immediately.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 19, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Hawaii Department Of Corrections
We are working on your request.
Laurie Nadamoto
Litigation Coordination Officer
Department of Public Safety
1177 Alakea St. Room 502
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)587-1416
This E-mail (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. This electronic transmission is for the sole use of those identified by the author and is the property of the author. Any further distribution or copying of this message is prohibited by law. If you received this in error, please notify the author at 808-587-1416 and destroy the message immediately.
From: Hawaii Department Of Corrections
Mr. Behne:
This is in response to the following request:
Under the Hawaii Open Records Law § 91-1 et seq., I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records that
- Those which include time and date of all instances of death occurring in the offender population between January 2000 and December 2020.
- Those which indicate the total number of individuals in Hawaii Department of Corrections (HDOC) custody who died by any cause, separated monthly, from January 2000 to December 2020.
- Monthly population records that include the total number of deaths occurring among people in the custody of the ADOC between January 2000 and December 2020.
- Certificates of death for all individuals in HDOC custody who died between January 2000 and December 2020.
Additionally, I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of any and all HDOC policies, regulations, and procedures, pertaining to...
- Investigations of in-custody deaths.
- Requirements for the performance of an autopsy or post-mortem medical examination of individuals who die while in HDOC custody.
- The reporting of in-custody deaths to other governmental agencies.
- Next-of-kin notification in the event of in-custody deaths.
Attached is the log of deaths. The records are by year, not month.
Certificates of death are records of the Medical Examiners' Office. Policies and procedures are located on the Department of Public Safety Website. http://dps.hawaii.gov/policies-and-procedures/
The rest of your request is denied pursuant to HRS §92F-13 (1) Government records which, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (3) Government records that, by their nature, must be confidential in order for the government to avoid the frustration of a legitimate government function and (4) Government records which, pursuant to state or federal law including an order of any state or federal court, are protected from disclosure.
Laurie Nadamoto
Litigation Coordination Officer
Department of Public Safety
1177 Alakea St. Room 502
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)587-1416
This E-mail (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. This electronic transmission is for the sole use of those identified by the author and is the property of the author. Any further distribution or copying of this message is prohibited by law. If you received this in error, please notify the author at 808-587-1416 and destroy the message immediately.
From: Hawaii Department Of Corrections
Attached is the death information we are able to provide. Deaths are not separated by month.
Death certificates are under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Policies and procedures can be found on the PSD website at http://dps.hawaii.gov/policies-and-procedures/
Laurie Nadamoto
Litigation Coordination Officer
Department of Public Safety
1177 Alakea St. Room 502
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)587-1416
This E-mail (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. This electronic transmission is for the sole use of those identified by the author and is the property of the author. Any further distribution or copying of this message is prohibited by law. If you received this in error, please notify the author at 808-587-1416 and destroy the message immediately.
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