DRUG OFFENDER BILL READY TO SIGN

Cayetano Will Approve The Bill That Will Send Nonviolent Offenders To
Treatment Programs

An administration bill to divert nonviolent, first-time offenders to drug
treatment programs instead of sending them to prison is expected to have the
added benefit of helping to ease overcrowding at Hawaii's prisons.

The problem of overcrowding has gotten to the point where officials are
looking at early release for as many as 300 low-risk inmates to avoid
possible prisoner lawsuits stemming from the crowded conditions.

Gov. Ben Cayetano, who was to sign the bill into law today, earlier
applauded lawmakers for passing the measure.

"We do not believe that just putting someone in jail is the solution to
their drug problems," Cayetano said. "More often than not, without treatment
a person will slip back into drug use.

"It is a serious issue that has a negative ripple effect in the community
and on our economy."

Ten House Republicans voted against the bill, including Minority Leader
Galen Fox, who argued it would affect few cases, would remove the Drug Court
judge's "hammer in getting drug offenders to shape up to avoid going to
prison," and let some previously violent offenders avoid prison if it has
been five years or more since their violent act.

"Almost all first-time drug offenders are given probation and aren't sent to
prison if they are really nonviolent first-time offenders," Fox (R,
Waikiki-Ala Wai) said yesterday.

Proponents of the measure, including retired Circuit Judge Masato Doi, told
lawmakers drug treatment programs cost half the amount it costs to keep
someone in prison.

Lawmakers, who approved $2.2 million to pay for the drug treatment programs
for about 200 offenders identified as eligible, pointed to successful
programs in Arizona and California and said Hawaii "requires a major shift
in philosophy to deal with the needs of drug offenders."

Groups backing the measure included the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and the
Community Alliance on Prisons, which ran television ads while lawmakers were
considering the legislation.

The ads feature Ito and Dancetta Feary Kamai, the sister of well-known
Hawaii entertainer Mackey Feary, a repeat drug offender who died in prison
three years ago.

Kamai said her brother suffered from depression and turned to both legal and
illegal drugs. He was not a bad person but was sick and needed help, she
said.

Cayetano also is scheduled to sign into law a measure using surcharges on
speeding, drunken driving and seat-belt violations to support a new state
program to help people disabled by brain or spine injuries.

According to the measure, each year, one in every 148 people will survive a
neurotrauma injury, with half of those experiencing short-term disability
and 5 percent sustaining lifelong debilitating losses of mental or physical
functions.

The Hawaii Health Systems Corp., which operates the state's community
hospitals, estimates that 1,200 people are treated annually in Hawaii for
brain or spinal injuries.

Based on the national average, that means about 60 patients in Hawaii are
added each year to the number needing long-term care and rehabilitation.

Cayetano vetoed a similar bill two years ago because of the attorney
general's concern it violated prohibitions against using mandatory fees from
driver's licensing to support a trust fund, so the new bill sets up a
special state fund supported by traffic violations.