The ARD (Accelerated Rehabilative Disposition) Program is a probation program offered by the district attorney's office only to first offenders who committed non-violent crimes to allow them to serve a one-year probation period to clear their names.

The district attorney is the only one who can recommend defendants be placed in this program and makes his recommendation to court. A judge's order places them in the program and sets conditions they must abide for 12 months in order to clear their criminal record.Five defendants who had been placed in the program were charged by their probation officer with violating the terms and the court revoked the program and their cases were returned to the district attorney's trial list for further prosecution. If found guilty of the charges, the criminal record remains with them.Senior Judge D. Michael Stine, at a hearing held in the Schuylkill County Court, revoked the ARD probations of the following:Richard Lee Griffiths, 48, Minersville, now faces being involved in a hit and run charge filed by Patrolman Eric C. Sterner,of Minersville.Mark John Schriner, Jr., 22, Shenandoah, now faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol brought by Patrolman Raymond Tonkinson, III, West Mahanoy City Police.Chad Michael Evans, 34, Landingville, now faces charges of driving under the influence of drugs filed by Trooper Timothy Rymarkiewicz.Jason A. Gradwell, 25, Pottsville, now faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol filed by Trooper Thomas Hornung.Judge Cyrus Palmer Dollbin revoked the ARD probation of Sherry A. Bashore, 40, Frackville, who now faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under a combined influnce of alcohol and drugs brought by Patrolman Christopher Hand, Frackville Police.