Posted on: Wednesday, July 11, 2001

Maui Drug Court receives $500,000 federal grant

By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor

WAILUKU, Maui — Maui's Drug Court, which gives nonviolent offenders a chance to avoid jail by enrolling in strictly supervised substance abuse treatment, has been awarded a two-year $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Maui Drug Court coordinator Lillian Koller Schmidt said the federal money will allow the program to take on an additional 40 clients and fill gaps in services, namely housing. She said a number of Drug Court clients have been living at the Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center in Wailuku. The program would like to rent separate houses for male and female clients, she said.

"Clean and sober housing is one of the things that's not readily available here," she said.

The Maui Drug Court is an extension of the O'ahu program that began in 1996.

Since starting last August, the Maui court has exceeded its goal of serving 60 clients in its first year by already enrolling 72, with three more expected after the next Drug Court session tomorrow.

Schmidt said 98 percent of the clients admitted to the 12- to 18-month program have stuck with it.

They are tested for drug use five times a week, and so far, 97 percent of the more than 4,000 drug tests administered since August have been clean, she said.

Defendants involved in nonviolent crimes who have no history of violence or firearm charges are eligible for Drug Court. The charges against them don't have to be a related to drugs as long as the defendant has a substance abuse problem.

After a screening process to determine which clients are highly motivated, participants enter a program that includes educational, vocational and life skills training, substance abuse counseling and frequent drug testing. They are closely monitored by judges, prosecutors, public defenders and other officials.

Those who don't comply with the treatment regimen or court-imposed sanctions face jail. Offenders who graduate from drug court may have their charges dismissed or sentences reduced.

A nonprofit group called Friends of the Maui Drug Court was formed to help raise private donations for the local program to supplement state, federal and county funding.

O'ahu started a drug court for juvenile offenders earlier this year, and plans are under way to take the program to Kaua'i and the Big Island.