Friends of the Maui Drug Court offered a heartfelt congratulations to the following graduates of the Maui/Molokai Drug Court program, all of whom were honored for their accomplishments at the commencement ceremony held at the Second Circuit Courthouse April 24: Elery Akoi, Kekaihalai Avilez, Richard Baisa, Clayton J.K. Bal, Heather English, Peter Feliciano, Patrick Kaupe and Raygene Keala.

The event was the 22nd commencement ceremony since the Drug Court began its work in 2000. The ceremony featured guest speakers Nita Gage (Clinical Director of Aloha House) and TV and film star Branscombe Richmond.

Chief Judge Shackley Raffetto presided over the ceremony, and Circuit Court Judges Joseph Cardoza and Richard Bissen also assisted with presentations to the graduates. Other participants included Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Kim, Deputy Public Defender Ed Menor, Armon Tavares (Program Director of Aloha House), Leslie Maeda (Clinical Supervisor of the Maui/Molokai Drug Court), and MC Klinton Kamiya.

Since 2000, the Maui/Molokai Drug Court has been working to break the cycle of substance abuse, crime and recidivism in Maui County. Drug Court provides non-violent offenders an opportunity to avoid or minimize incarceration upon successful completion of an intensive substance abuse treatment program.

Drug Court graduates have a dramatically lower recidivism rate than the rest of the criminal population, making the Maui/Molokai Drug Court a highly cost-efficient program. Friends of the Maui Drug Court (FMDC) supports the Drug Court by raising and disbursing funds to provide services to Drug Court clients and graduates and to provide training to Drug Court professionals.

FMDC is supported by grants from the Maui Quarantine Fund and the Crystal Meth Initiative, both administered by the Hawai`i Community Foundation. More information about the Maui/Molokai Drug Court is available at http://mauidrugcourt.info/.