Kentucky Court of Justice
Fayette County Drug Court to celebrate 10th anniversary Aug. 16

Fayette County Drug Court to celebrate 10th anniversary Aug. 16

11 recent participants to be recognized for completing program

What: Fayette County Drug Court will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Aug. 16, having begun as a pilot project on Aug. 16, 1996. As part of the celebration, a graduation ceremony will be held to recognize 11 participants who have recently completed the program. To date, 376 participants have successfully graduated from Fayette County Drug Court. As of June 30, 2006, only 15 percent of graduates have been convicted of a new felony within two years of graduating.

Who: Those participating in the ceremony include retired Supreme Court Justice James Keller; retired Court of Appeals Judge Lewis Paisley; Chief Regional Circuit Judge Sheila Isaac; Circuit Judge Mary Noble; Family Court Judge Timothy Philpot; District Judge Maria Ransdell; and Lisa Minton, former Drug Court manager for the Administrative Office of the Courts.

When: Wed., Aug. 16, 6 p.m.

Where: Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington

Background Information: Drug Court is a court-supervised treatment alternative designed to address the high relapse rate of illicit drug use and the occurrence of nonviolent drug-related crimes. The mission of Drug Court is to offer a criminal justice environment that stops drug abuse and related criminal activity, and to promote a positive life change through substance abuse education and treatment. The program consists of three phases and aftercare, and lasts an average of one to two years.

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, and much of the program’s funding comes from federal grants and state matching funds authorized through the Kentucky General Assembly.

The success of Drug Court is being measured by the lives changed and the cost savings to Kentucky taxpayers. Since the program was implemented in 1993, the state has saved $24.2 million by graduating 1,700 individuals from Drug Court instead of paying for their incarceration. A 2004 University of Kentucky study showed that two years after graduating from Kentucky Drug Court, only 20 percent of Drug Court graduates were convicted of a new felony offense, as opposed to 57 percent of non-Drug Court participants, with similar charges, who were convicted of a new felony offense.

Contact: Leigh Anne Hiatt, APR, public information officer, Administrative Office of the Courts, 502-573-2350, cell 502-545-2839