WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

MADISON -- Drug offenders sentenced to community service with the Boone County Office of the Logan Regional Day Report/Drug Court are working with the Boone County Commission Maintenance Department and the City of Madison to help clean up the county in which they live.

Service projects in which drug offenders are participating include mowing, litter pick up, painting, servicing, and maintenance of county vehicles.

In March, April, and May the Drug Court and Day Report participants have picked up a combined 1,750 bags of trash from roads around the county. In addition, on May 1 the participants painted the Ramage Bridge prior to a dedication service held there.

The City of Madison and the Boone County Commission have worked very hard with probation officers and drug court officers to get the most out of the hours worked by the Drug Court and Day Report participants. New community service projects, including working with the county refuse stations, the dog pound, and the county water projects will begin later this summer. The Drug Court and Day Report team will be approaching other agencies and municipalities for community service projects in the near future as the program's success continues to build.

"We are a pilot for the Drug Court Program," Circuit Judge William S. Thompson said. "Within a few years, there will be a legislative mandate placing the drug court program in every county of the state. It is nice to get the program rolling here in Boone County and even better to see that we are making former drug addicts productive members of this county, not to mention the added benefit of cleaning up the community.

"We have incredible support from the Boone County Commissioners as well as the City of Madison. Without their help and understanding support, this program would not be the success story it is today."

The Drug Court and Day Report program is endeavoring to make participants give back to the community, but also to give them job training and a work ethic needed to be productive citizens of Boone County.

For more information about the Boone County Drug Court and Day Report programs, contact the Boone County Office of the Logan Regional Day Report/Drug Court at (304) 369-5116, 190 Court Street, Madison.