HI HR10

Urges the Hawaii Judiciary to assign one judge to handle all HOPE Probation Program cases to ensure expedited, timely hearings and consistent judicial decisions.

HOPE Probation, launched in 2004 by retired First Circuit Judge Steven Alm, is a high-intensity supervision program designed to reduce probation violations through swift, predictable, and immediate sanctions for detected violations.

According to 2007 evaluation data, HOPE Probation participants were 72% less likely to test positive for illegal drugs, 61% less likely to miss appointments, 55% less likely to be arrested for new crimes, and 53% less likely to have probation revoked compared to standard probation offenders.

Consolidating HOPE Probation cases to a single judge would address current problems caused by multiple judges handling the caseload, which has created inundated calendars and inconsistent decision-making.

Directs the Chief Justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court to receive a certified copy of this resolution.