JUDICIARY SETS UP DRUG COURT PROGRAM ON KAUAI

The Hawaii State Judiciary launched a drug court program in the Kauai Circuit
on Tuesday.

The treatment-based programs are seen as an alternative to incarceration and
are aimed at helping drug offenders overcome addiction.

Clients are required to make regular appearances before a drug court judge and
also must participate in treatment, which includes testing, counseling and
12-step meetings.

"If we provide these drug offenders proper treatment, we can significantly
reduce societal and economic costs and protect our community at the same time,"
Presiding Drug Court Judge Clifford Nakea said in a statement.

To be eligible, defendants must be at least 18 years old, charged with or have
an arrest pending for a felony drug offense, have no extensive criminal history
and have no prior convictions for sexual or other assault offenses.

Referrals to the program are made through the prosecutor, public defender or
private attorney and must be approved by the prosecutor.

The Kauai Drug Court can accommodate 20 people.

Drug courts already have been set up on Oahu, Maui and Kona and Hilo on the Big
Island. Oahu also has a Juvenile Drug Court.