Officials aim to help returning military veterans reintegrate into their communities and avoid a life of crime.
A number of military veterans end up in the corrections system due to untreated combat-related illnesses, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — or PTSD. Bill Kloster with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs explains at a legislative hearing Wednesday how Veterans Treatment Courts can help.
“Veterans Treatment Courts are specialized courts designed to help stop criminal activity or dangerous behavior that could be related to the veteran’s military service. Nonviolent offenders who have been charged are given the option to receive treatment instead of a jail sentence.”
Kloster adds, if a participant fails to meet the requirements of the court immediate sanctions can be imposed. But completing the program could result in a reduced sentence or even a dismissal of charges.
Kloster says about one in six veterans of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD, which can manifest itself in many ways, including unmanageable anger, drunkenness, traffic violations, and even suicide attempts. [click to continue…]
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