PARKERSBURG - The West Central Regional Drug Court will hold a graduation ceremony at 4:15 p.m. Friday at the Judge Donald F. Black Courthouse Annex where seven adults will graduate from the program.
The drug court is one of 13 adult drug courts serving 30 counties in West Virginia. It was founded in 2007 and serves Doddridge, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Wirt and Wood counties.
Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge J.D. Beane supervises the DUI/drug court, which takes post-plea, DUI and probation violation cases.
Adult drug courts serve eligible substance-abusing or drug-addicted offenders who receive treatment and other services instead of going through traditional justice system case processing.
The goal of drug courts is to help participants overcome addictions that led them to commit crimes, thus improving the quality of life for them and their families.
Turning people who might have become repeat offenders into productive citizens also improves public safety and can be more cost-effective and humane than incarceration for those who have committed non-violent crimes and are a low- to moderate-risk to the community, court officials said.
Prosecutors and judges choose which offenders can participate.
