West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued the following announcement on Mar. 23.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Evan Jenkins, Justice Beth Walker and Justice Tim Armstead attend a treatment court graduation ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24 for individuals and families from Boone and Lincoln Counties.
Thirteen participants graduate from the Adult Drug Courts in Boone and Lincoln Counties, one juvenile participant graduate from the Boone County Juvenile Drug Court, and six participants graduate from the Boone County Family Treatment Court. The graduation held at Water Ways, 628 Water Way Road, Julian, WV 25529. The ceremony been at the picnic shelter near the soccer field, past the pool. The event is open to the media and the public, but no photos or videos may be taken of the juvenile or the juvenile’s family, nor may their names be used by the media or in social media. Twenty-Fifth Judicial Circuit (Boone and Lincoln Counties) Judge William Thompson presides over all three drug courts.
Kelly Gadd is the Family Treatment Court Case Coordinator, Matt Beckett and J.L. Frye are the Adult Drug Court Probation Officers, and Travis Havey is the Juvenile Drug Court Probation Officer. The West Virginia court system continues to add treatment courts throughout the state and to support and celebrate graduates who complete such specialty court programs. The goal of treatment courts is to help participants overcome substance use disorder and mental illnesses that may have led them to commit crimes, thus improving the quality of life for them and their families. Treatment courts work with participants who have a high risk of recidivism, as well as a high substance abuse need. Accepted participants are assigned treatment and compliancy goals that help promote sober living and pro-social, positive relationships to aid in their respective recovery journey.
The programs can be more productive, cost-effective, and humane than incarceration for those who have committed non-violent crimes.
People who are registered as sex offenders or who have a prior conviction for a felony crime of violence are not statutorily eligible for treatment court programs in West Virginia.
Original source can be found here.
