Honolulu, HI – First Circuit Court Judge Steven Alm and Dr. Robert DuPont, First Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and President of the Institute for Behavior and Health (IBH), led a round table discussion about HOPE Probation (Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement).  The event took place September 16 in Washington, D.C.

“The State of the Art of the HOPE Probation Model: A Roundtable Discussion for Criminal Justice Leaders” was organized by the non-profit Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc.  For the last year, Judge Alm and Probation Section Administrator Cheryl Inouye, along with Dr. Dupont and the Institute for Behavior and Health, have been working on a report entitled “State of the Art of HOPE Probation.” It details the essential and recommended elements needed to implement a successful HOPE strategy.  This report, which included survey-research and monitoring strategies, was presented to the Laura and John Arnold Foundation at the Round Table today.  

“This was a great opportunity to showcase the work we are doing here in Hawaii,” said Judge Alm.  “Along with Dr. DuPont and I, there were criminal justice leaders from around the country who have launched HOPE in their own jurisdictions.  We shared our experiences and perspectives to all those who are looking to implement the HOPE model.”

In 2004, Judge Alm launched a pilot program to reduce probation violations by drug offenders and others at high risk of recidivism. This high-intensity supervision program, called HOPE Probation was the first of its kind in the nation and now there are 31 states that are using the HOPE strategy in probation, parole, pre-trial, and in prison.

“HOPE leads today’s criminal justice reform by reducing crime while also reducing prison populations. Best of all, HOPE delivers drug-free and crime-free lives for more of the 5 million offenders now on parole and probation,” said Dr. DuPont.  

HOPE establishes clear expectations of drug-free behavior reinforced by active drug testing. Probationers in HOPE Probation receive swift, predictable, and immediate sanctions – typically resulting in several days in jail – for each detected violation, such as detected drug use or missed appointments with a probation officer.   Research has shown that HOPE reduces victimization and crime, helps offenders succeed on probation and avoid being sentenced to prison, thus saving taxpayers millions of dollars.