HARD PROGRAM YIELDS NEW LIFE

Success Rate of the Big Island Drug Court Far Above Average

As far as law enforcement is concerned, Olaf Lipe has kicked his drug habit.

He has, after all, taken 108 drug tests during the past 19 months and
tested clean on every one.

The Ka'u man was among five people who graduated Thursday from the
Big Island Drug Court, in a courtroom full of family, friends and
others still in the program.

Drug Court can allow non-violent drug offenders to have their charges
dismissed if they complete the program, which usually lasts 18
months. People close to the system say it's harder than it sounds.

"Drug Court is not easy," said Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura, who
handles drug court cases for East Hawaii. "Regular probation is a lot easier."

Offenders must be referred to the program by a judge who believes
they have the potential to succeed. Then, during the first of Drug
Court's three phases, participants are drug-tested as often as two or
three times a week. There also will be about three meetings per week
with a probation officer. Substance abuse treatment is mandatory, as
are other classes or counseling, such as mental health treatment or
parenting classes. Some participants further their educations.

Along the way, participants are rewarded for their successes with
gift certificates, loans for things like housing or tuition, and
movie tickets. Those items are funded by a nonprofit group called
Friends of Drug Court.

It takes effort. Lipe, for instance, hitchhiked from Ka'u to Hilo to
make appearances in Drug Court. Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Shiigi, who
handles many of the cases, was aware of this because he saw Lipe one
day as he was rushing to a different court.

"I didn't pick him up because I was late for court and I was in the
wrong lane -- sorry about that, Olaf," Shiigi said Thursday as both
he and Lipe smiled.

Warren Kitaoka, administrator of the Big Island Drug Court, said the
numbers show the program works, however. Islandwide, more than 90
percent of the 68 graduates have not been arrested for recidivism,
Kitaoka said. In East Hawaii, none of the graduates have been arrested.

Deputy Public Defender Steven Johnson said it's an amazing success
rate, and that many treatment programs are happy when 30 percent of
their participants stay on the straight-and-narrow.

In its current state, the demand for Drug Court is exceeding supply.
There are 100 spaces on the Big Island, 50 each for East Hawaii and
West Hawaii. As of Thursday, there were five vacancies. And those
were only available because of the five graduates.

Kitaoka said the program may expand but that there are no plans pending.