Issue Position: Veterans Programs & Courts

Issue Position

Our heroes deserve not only our enduring respect for their bravery and sacrifices, but our understanding and commitment to helping them reintegrate into civil society after their service. Too often, our Servicemembers and Veterans confront physical and psychological traumas when returning home. The mental health challenges often include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, acute stress, and effects resulting from traumatic brain injury. Some Vets turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with these issues. It is incumbent upon us as New Jerseyeans and Americans to take measures to reduce this reliance through programs designed to address healthcare, wellness, education, professional development, and other opportunities for our brave Vets.

For those Vets that encounter criminal justice issues--often directly as a result of combat-related injuries--New Jersey should create a Veterans Court, similar to existing Drug Courts, which can provide alternatives to incarceration. However, this type of court can facilitate treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues specifically-tailored to former and current Servicemembers and their individual needs. Eligibility into these courts and programs would be based on as assessment of the severity of mental illness, traumatic brain injury, and/or substance abuse disorder; criminal history; military service; amenability to the services of the program; recommendation of the state attorney; and defendant's acquiescence to the terms and rigors of the program. Through collaboration amongst judges, attorneys, probation officers, social service agencies, state and local Veterans groups, and substance abuse and mental health professionals, participants can receive the appropriate balance of supervision, support, and encouragement to aid in their recovery and prevent future criminality.

These courts and programs can be created without an additional tax burden to residents through small fees paid by the defendants based upon the severity of the crime, as well as through supplemental fees paid by parties to civil court cases. In additional, they can reduce strains on our criminal justice and prison systems by reducing costs for incarceration. In fact, the treatment provided has been shown to reduce rates of recidivism and the attendant costs of repeated and longer-term prison sentences by tacking the mental health and substance abuse issues early on.

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