OFFERING HOPE THROUGH KAUAI DRUG COURT

Helping Addicts Lead Clean And Sober Lives

As administrator for the Kaua'i Drug Court, Alton Amimoto knows it is
difficult for some people to change their habits, but having helped
71 former drug addicts graduate to clean and sober lives since the
court's inception in 2003, more than 97 percent of whom have remained
free of legal entanglements, he knows it can be done.

But modifying long-standing behaviors can be challenging, Amimoto
said, drawing comparisons to situations more people are familiar
with: trying to lose weight or stop smoking.

"If you look at it from a normal point of view, someone says, 'You're
overweight, you should lose 10 pounds.' But you say, 'I've tried but
I can't. It's so hard,' " he said.

That's why it's so important for an individual to make a commitment
to creating a different type of life for him or herself, Amimoto
said. "People have to want to change," he said, and even then it's a long road.

"It's very difficult to get them to become clean in a year or so,"
because often they have been addicted for 20 or 30 years, he said.
"Generally it takes over a year to just regain some sense of normalcy
in terms of emotions," because some drugs can burn out a body's
ability to produce endorphins, he said.

That's where the Kaua'i Drug Court program, an alternative to
conventional probation, has helped. Through rigorous and intensive
drug testing, supervision and case management, Amimoto and his staff
are providing hope.

"We call it cognitive restructuring, where we get them to change
their thinking patterns and behaviors," Amimoto said. "We help them
identify the triggers that cause them to use, and we help them work
toward maintaining a system where they can keep clean, like to call
somebody instead of turning to drugs."

Kaua'i Drug Court alumni take part in the program by offering social
events for active clients. "A lot of the clients only run in circles
of people who do drugs," Amimoto said.

"The alumni try to provide beach get-togethers, parties and things to
do for the clients, creating a new positive social support system."

Amimoto is also a member of the board of directors of the Friends of
the Kaua'i Drug Court, a non-profit organization that provides
additional support for clients who want to re-pattern their lives.

The Friends group funds incentives such as movie theater tickets for
clients who reach certain milestones; the cost of graduation
ceremonies for those who complete the program; supplies for public
service work such as graffiti removal and beach clean-ups that
clients perform as the "restorative justice" part of their sentences;
and for ongoing training for the staff for which the state currently
provides no funds, Amimoto said.

Some of The Friends' funding is provided through the Visitor Industry
Charity Walk, an annual walkathon that took place last weekend.

"All the monies that we get from the Charity Walk go to incentives
and supplies for community service projects for the clients going
through the program," Amimoto said.

Though his work can feel daunting, Amimoto says it has its moments.
"It can be rewarding," he said. "Sometimes the graduates invite me
and the staff to their baby luaus and family parties."