Learning How to Reduce Recidivism from Hawaiʻi’s Women’s Court
A large share of individuals in the criminal justice system struggle with mental health or substance use disorders, including an estimated half of those in prison. Meanwhile, recidivism remains a persistent public safety problem. Many jurisdictions nationwide have responded by adopting a variety of “problem-solving” courts to disrupt the familiar cycle of incarceration, release, and repeat. Ranging from drug courts to veterans courts, many of these models use an intensive, rehabilitative approach to address individuals’ behavioral health needs.
Hawai’i is no stranger to these challenges. Homelessness remains among the state’s most visible signs of instability. Thousands are unsheltered on the islands, with many people self-reporting mental illness and substance use disorder. Enter Hawai’i’s Women’s Court—a program built around the idea that women involved in the criminal justice system often need healing and stability. Individualized and Hawai’i-specific, it draws on local culture, community connection, and personal restorative practices.
I attended the January 2026 Women’s Court graduation ceremony in Honolulu and saw firsthand how powerful the program can be.
Inside Hawai’i’s Women’s Court Model
Mohala Wāhine, which means “blossoming woman,” launched in 2023 as a pilot program in the First Circuit on Oʻahu. Rather than sending “high-risk” or “high-need” women with nonviolent convictions to prison, it combines probation with a structured, tailored support system. Women set goals around sobriety, secure and stable housing, family reunification, consistent employment, or educational training in order to graduate. The program provides access to substance use treatment, mental health therapy, parenting classes, educational and vocational training, domestic violence advocacy, and case management to support participants’ success.
At first glance, this may sound similar to a successfully run drug court. While it does build upon that model, Hawai’i has added trauma-informed and gender-responsive tactics and grounded them in Hawaiian culture. It incorporates Native Hawaiian hula and chant, along with Kūkulu Kumuhana to support holistic wellness of mind, body, and spirit. Hula, in particular, can promote physical activity, social support, and emotional well-being through structured movement, memorization, and shared practice.
These cultural elements give the program a sense of place, identity, and belonging by helping participants reconnect with themselves after years of trauma and substance use that likely disassociated them from their own bodies.
The level of personalization and community support also stands out. One judge described the program as creating a “sisterhood,” another a “family reunion,” and yet another “a village and a garden.” Sitting in the courtroom watching the graduation ceremony, those descriptions did not feel exaggerated.
Building on Mohala Wāhine’s success, the Hawai’i Legislature made the program permanent in 2025 and expanded a pilot to Hawai’i Island under the name Nā Hulu Wehi (“the adorned feathers”), which represent “dignity, honor, and sacred value, symbolizing each woman’s inherent worth and her journey of healing and renewal.”
The Case for Gender-Responsive Courts
Specialized treatment courts have existed for decades. The first drug court launched in Miami in 1989, followed by the first community court in Brooklyn, New York, and the first mental health court in Broward County, Florida (both in 1997). These courts have shown strong results, but most models were built for men and likely do not meet the needs of women—one of the fastest growing jail populations—who are more likely to face co-occurring behavioral health needs, economic instability, trauma, and caregiving responsibilities.
Nationally, women are far more likely to be convicted of property crimes and drug offenses than violent crimes. Yet, their complex behavioral health histories can contribute to higher risk assessments and stiff penalties. Studies show that roughly 90 percent of women in the system experienced childhood trauma, while more than two-thirds have experienced intimate partner violence.
Research indicates that a majority of women in jail have experienced at least one assessed mental health disorder in their lifetime and that one in four meet criteria for co-occurring lifetime diagnoses of serious mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorder. These needs can mean the difference between life and death in custody. For example, a 2021 Bureau of Justice Statistics report showed an increase of nearly 65 percent in the number of suicides among women in local jails (2000–2019), while a 2024 study of women in jail with opioid use disorder found that more than half had experienced an overdose in their lifetime.
Many of these women are also primary caregivers who face unique economic challenges. Not only does instability and system involvement affect their lives, it destabilizes their families and passes on generational harm.
Gender-specific drug courts demonstrate the value of tailoring court responses to women’s needs. Studies of the Kalamazoo County Adult Drug Treatment Court in Michigan (established in 1992 for female nonviolent drug offenders) found steady reductions in participants’ drug use and significant declines in reoffending; similar findings from San Diego County suggest that women are more successful in gender-responsive drug courts than in traditional mixed-gender models.
While Mohala Wāhine is still young, participant outcomes show promise. The first six graduates completed the program in June 2025, each having achieved the goals they set for themselves at the start. For several, that meant sustained sobriety and regaining custody of their children. The program also saves the state money by safely diverting people from incarceration.
I ka wā ma mua, i ka wā ma hope
The literal translation of the Hawaiian proverb “I ka wā ma mua, i ka wā ma hope” is “the future is in the past.” In this context, I think it means that healing begins when people are able to face where they have been, draw strength from what came before, and use that knowledge to shape a different future.
The women’s graduation speeches conveyed harrowing histories of trauma shared not to elicit sympathy, but to explain how Women’s Court helped bring them to a place of success. One participant reflected, “As I came into Women’s Court, I slowly gained my self-esteem, my self-worth, my self-respect, and because I gained those things, I began to love myself. And when I started loving myself, I believed I could be accountable and love others.” These stories of transformation and motivation to remain on a new path prove the system can be used for rehabilitation instead of just punishment.
Most women in the justice system are not dangerous—they are struggling. The question for other states should not be whether they can afford to build programs like this, but whether they can afford to keep doing things the same way. Too many communities have relied on jails to address addiction and homelessness, only to find individuals cycling back through the system. Although problem-solving courts must be tailored to local communities, any jurisdiction can adapt the gender-responsive principles underlying Hawai’i’s Women’s Court. All it takes is the political will and institutional commitment to try something new.