Administrative Office of Courts
Drug Courts in Hinds, Madison and Warren counties schedule graduations Three Drug Court graduations are scheduled this week. Programs and locations are: • Vicksburg, Monday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Ninth Circuit Court District Drug Court The Ninth Circuit Court District Drug Court will hold a graduation program on Monday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the second floor courtroom at the Warren County Courthouse, 1009 Cherry Street, Vicksburg. Rep. George Flaggs Jr. will be the keynote speaker. Eight graduates will be recognized, with seven participating in the ceremony. Fifty-seven people remain enrolled in the program. • Canton, Monday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Madison County Juvenile Drug Court The Madison County Juvenile Drug Court will hold a graduation program at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18, at the Madison County Courthouse at 128 W. North Street in Canton. Rep. Alyce Griffin Clarke of Jackson, one of the pioneers of the Drug Court movement in Mississippi, will be the guest speaker. Three teens will graduate from the program. Thirty-two remain enrolled in the program. Because of the confidentiality required by law in Mississippi Youth Court matters, members of the media who may wish to attend the Youth Court graduation are asked to refrain from publishing or broadcasting any information or photographs which would in any way identify any individual juvenile participant or family member. • Jackson, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6 p.m., Hinds County Drug Court The Hinds County Drug Court will hold a graduation program at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, at the Hinds County Courthouse in Jackson. The program will be in Courtroom No. 1 on the second floor. Hinds County Court Judge William Gowan, who is concluding his term as Drug Court judge, will be the keynote speaker. Twelve people are scheduled to graduate. Eighty-three remain in the program. Drug courts seek to rehabilitate drug-using offenders through drug treatment and intense supervision with drug testing and frequent court appearances. Drug courts offer the incentive of a chance to remain out of jail, and the sanction of a jail sentence if participants fail to remain drug-free and in compliance with all program requirements. Mississippi has 18 active drug courts. The Rankin County Youth Drug Court, which began enrolling participants in late November, is the newest. More than 1,000 people are enrolled in drug courts statewide. About 160 people graduated from the programs between January and the end of October. Last week, 14 more people graduated from the 12th Circuit Drug Court program in Hattiesburg. #### |
