Kentucky Court of Justice
State Sen. Robin L. Webb to be guest speaker at Drug Court graduation Feb. 26 for Greenup and Lewis counties

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky Sen. Robin L. Webb will be the guest speaker at a graduation ceremony Friday, Feb. 26, for 22 participants who have completed the Greenup/Lewis County Drug Court program. The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. EST at First United Methodist Church, 607 Main St. in Greenup. The ceremony is open to the public.

Sen. Webb represents Senate District 18, which is comprised of Bracken, Carter, Greenup, Lewis, Mason and Robertson counties. 

Circuit Court Judge Robert Conley, who volunteers his time to conduct Drug Court proceedings for the Greenup/Lewis County Drug Court program, will preside over the graduation ceremony.   

Invitees to the ceremony include law enforcement representatives (including members of the local drug task force), elected officials, attorneys and representatives of drug treatment facilities.

The Greenup/Lewis County Drug Court program began in September 2002.

Kentucky Drug Court
Drug Court is proving to be a positive solution to a serious social problem. The success of Drug Court can be measured in the number of lives changed and the cost savings to Kentucky taxpayers. The program has had a significant impact on reducing rearrest, reconviction and reincarceration rates. The program has resulted in increased payment of delinquent child support and improved employment rates. For every $1 spent on Drug Court graduates, the state saves $2.72 on what it would have spent on incarcerating these individuals.
 
The mission is to provide a court-supervised treatment alternative that stops illicit drug use and related criminal activity and promotes a positive life change through substance abuse education and treatment.

How Drug Court Works
Drug Court coordinates the efforts of the judiciary, prosecution, defense bar, probation, law enforcement, mental health, social services and treatment communities to actively intervene and break the cycle of substance abuse, addiction and crime.

The program consists of three phases that last a total of at least one year and are followed by aftercare. Drug Court staff and participants work together to develop individual program plans with specific responsibilities and goals with timetables. Plans include group, family and individual counseling; frequent and random urine testing; education and vocational training; scheduled payments of restitution, child support and court fees; and health and community activities. Participants report directly to their Drug Court judge, who rewards progress and sanctions noncompliance.

When participants successfully complete the program, charges may be dismissed through diversion, or conditional discharge may be granted through probation. Judges who participate in Drug Court volunteer their time to the program. Most of the program’s funding comes from state funds approved through the Kentucky General Assembly.

Drug Court programs statewide are administered through the Administrative Office of the Courts, Department of Drug Court (Kentucky Drug Court), in Frankfort. The AOC is the operational arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice and supports the activities of 3,800 court system employees, including the elected offices of justices, judges and circuit court clerks.

For more information about Drug Court, visit http://courts.ky.gov/stateprograms/Drug+Court/.