WHAT: Drug Court Commencement Ceremony

WHEN: Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 11:30 AM

WHERE: Moultrie Courthouse, Courtroom C-10, 500 Indiana Avenue, NW

WHO: Judge Gregory Jackson, Presiding Judge, Superior Court Drug Court Program
Clifford Keenan, Director, Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia
DC Attorney General Karl Racine
Assistant Chief of Police Kimberly Chisley-Missouri

Drug Court is a program designed to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent substance abusing defendants. The program strives to increase each defendant’s likelihood of successful habilitation through early, continuous, and intense judicially-supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug testing, community supervision, and use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services.

Eligible persons with a substance abuse disorder may request to have their cases transferred to the Superior
Court Drug Intervention Program in lieu of traditional criminal justice system case processing. Across the
country, drug courts have been found to be effective at reducing recidivism and helping participants maintain
their sobriety even after court involvement.

While in Drug Court, participants are:
• provided with intensive treatment and other services they require to get and stay clean and sober;
• held accountable by the Drug Court judge for meeting their obligations to the court, society, themselves and their families;
• tested for drug use;
• required to appear in court frequently so that the judge may review their progress; and
• rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when they do not live up to their obligations.

NOTE: Judge Jackson and Director Keenan will be available after the graduation for interviews. Cameras and
recorders must be cleared in advance; participants may only be photographed or interviewed with their
permission.