Posted on: Friday, September 6, 2002

Drug rehab graduates eight youngsters

Advertiser Staff

The O'ahu Family Court will hold its first commencement for graduates of the Hawai'i Juvenile Drug Court program today.

Eight juveniles will graduate at 1:30 p.m. at the Supreme Court courtroom at 417 S. King Street.

The Juvenile Drug Court started in August of last year. Under the program, nonviolent juveniles undergo a minimum of eight months of treatment for substance abuse.

To be eligible, participants must be referred to the Family Court for a nonviolent crime, have a pattern of substance abuse, have no history of sex offenses and live on O'ahu.

They also must have the support of an adult who agrees to participate in Juvenile Drug Court activities, such as hearings, drug testing and family counseling.

The program was made possible by a $937,000 federal grant.