help set up the Island's new drug court, which is expected to begin operations by the end of the year.

Ms Justice Simmons will chair the Drug Court Implementation Committee as it hammers out the details of how the new court will function.

The Committee is still to decide whether criminals will be referred to the Drug Treatment Court before or after they are sentenced in Magistrates or Supreme Court.

The idea is to provide treatment to persistent offenders who commit crimes to feed their habits as an alternative to prison.

National Drug Commission Chief Executive Officer Derrick Binns said people who volunteer for the drugs court will be given treatment which could last up to two years and will be regularly assessed.

Police officers will be trained to spot offenders at the time of their arrest who could benefit from the drugs courts.

The scheme will be voluntary, but offenders who break their treatment programme will be returned to the criminal courts to be dealt with.

At a Press conference yesterday, Health Minister Nelson Bascome said: "Those who offend the laws of this country will now have the opportunity to change their behaviour through methods proven to reduce crime and not simply punish those who commit offences.

Judge to help set up new drug court "Let it be clear this approach is not soft on crime, but addresses the need for behaviour modification.

"An individual can make a choice and it is a very clear aim of the drug court to make individuals make a choice.

"The court provides alternative options that can help them move to the treatment process. These individuals will benefit from taking advantage, but in terms of locking someone up and saying you can't move, that takes on aspects of the old criminal system.'' Mr. Bascome said Government was still hoping to persuade insurance companies to pay part of the costs of treatrment for addicts who have insurance cover.

Former Principal Probation Officer Alfred Maybury has been appointed as the drug court coordinator.

Chief Justice Austin Ward will announce who the members of the court will be shortly before it begins operations.

The other members of the Drug Court Implementation Committee are drugs counsellor Roderic Pearman, exucutive director of the Turning Point Programme at Bermuda Hospitals Board Joanne Dill, NDC board member Helen Pearman Ziral, Bermuda Bar Association President Richard Hector, Dr. Binns, and Crown counsel Larry Mussenden.