Pubdate: Fri, 02 May 2003 Source: West Hawaii Today (HI) Contact: 2003 West Hawaii Today Website: http://westhawaiitoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644 Author: Karen Iwamoto, West Hawaii Today Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts) JUDGE SEES NEED FOR ISLE DRUG CENTER The island needs a long - term drug rehabilitation center in its arsenal if it hopes to make strides against drug abuse, the island's top judge said Thursday. Third Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra and Family Court Judge Aley K. Auna Jr. answered questions from members of the public Thursday evening at Family Court. Many of the dozen residents who attended said they were interested in helping the courts fight the island's drug problems. Ibarra said the missing piece is a long - term rehabilitation center. Such centers in Honolulu have long waiting lists, forcing courts to consider sending defendants to the mainland for treatment, he said. Auna said 79 percent of the cases he hears in Family Court are drug or alcohol related. He said he does order parents and children with substance abuse problems to report back to court for bi - monthly check - ups. But there is currently no Drug Court for juveniles on the Big Island, Ibarra said. He added, however, progress is being made to train people for such a program. In addition to his role as a Third Circuit judge, every Tuesday morning Ibarra oversees the adult division of Drug Court, where defendants are offered rehabilitative options instead of jail time for offenses. Ibarra described Drug Court, which began in October on the Big Island, as a more holistic approach "When I went to visit a Drug Court (on the mainland) I saw the judge hugging the defendant," Ibarra said. "And I was a prosecuting attorney for six years so to see a judge hugging the defendant was different. It was a more therapeutic approach." Defendants receive comprehensive services, such as employment and education opportunities, must submit to frequent drug tests and are closely monitored by their probation officers. The Big Island has a Drug Court in West Hawaii and East Hawaii, Ibarra said. Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura oversees the Drug Court in Hilo. To be tried in drug court, a defendant must have been convicted of a non - violent crime relating to drugs, Ibarra said. The Drug Court is currently funded to serve 50 defendants. Ibarra said he was interested in exploring options for other therapeutic courts on the Big Island. He said he has already met with the West Hawaii Mental Health Advisory Board to discuss developing a mental health court. "While we can talk about all these ideas, it comes down to the people," Ibarra said. "I don't want to spread the courts too thin because then we could be accused of not serving justice." - - - - Contacts: West Hawaii Drug Court 938 - 6466. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk