| 'Problem-solving' Court for Vets Possible Here |
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'Problem-solving' court for veterans possible here By P.J. REILLY, Staff Writer According to media reports, about 700,000 U.S. military veterans in 2008 were either in prison, on parole or on probation. Many of them said they were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time they committed their crimes. How many veterans are having scrapes with the law in Lancaster County? And how many of them are suffering from PTSD? Can the court system here help them? All of these questions will be explored by a task force authorized Wednesday by the Lancaster County commissioners. The goal is to determine if the county should set up a "problem-solving" court dedicated to veterans. "A Veterans Treatment Court Program, operating within the criminal-justice context, removes major obstacles posed by potential criminal convictions and their consequences that can otherwise confound the individuals' efforts to reclaim normalcy and return to their families," states the resolution authorizing the creation of the task force. "These courts, by facilitating recovery and wellness, provide the community with greater assurance that public safety and order will be better served and recidivism is not likely to occur." Lancaster County already runs three problem-solving courts — Drug Court, Job Court and Mental Health Court. People arrested for low-level crimes who are admitted to these court programs receive intensive rehabilitation therapy, social-service assistance and other help in lieu of being sent to prison. They all must make restitution for their crimes as well. President Judge Joseph Madenspacher told the commissioners Wednesday that the goal of these courts is to help people get their lives back on track so they can avoid future contact with the law. Reducing recidivism to ease overcrowding in the prison and to lower the cost to taxpayers of the county's criminal-justice system is a goal the commissioners have pledged many times to work toward. Eight people from a variety of county and federal departments will sit on the veterans court task force. Madenspacher said they will determine if there is a need for a veterans court in Lancaster County, and, if so, how that court should function. "I think one of the first things we would find out is how many veterans are there out there who are in the system," he said. "I don't think we really keep a good track of that." Among the members of the task force is Lancaster defense attorney Ken Gardner, who retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006 after 22 years of service, which included a combat tour during the first Gulf war from 1990-91 and a combat tour in Iraq from 2004-05. "I saw a lot of Marines who had issues," Gardner said. In 2009, Gardner worked as a Lancaster County assistant district attorney. He knows there are veterans in the system, but he said he only knows that by chance. "I only found out if somebody brought it up in passing," he said. "Nobody ever asked that question directly." Gardner has been studying veterans courts as they've popped up across the country in recent years, including those now operated in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties. "This isn't a get-out-of-jail-free pass," he said. "These people have to go through more supervision and have more requirements put on them than if they went through the regular system. "But I think veterans deserve this." Oftentimes, Gardner said, veterans suffering from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries don't know they are eligible for services from the Veterans Administration, or they know but choose not to seek them. These veterans sometimes decide to "self medicate" to deal with their problems by turning to drugs and/or alcohol, Gardner said. That can lead to run-ins with police. "It's certainly not an excuse for turning to crime, but if we can get them the help they need, hold them accountable for their actions and try to keep them from repeating their offenses, I think everyone benefits," he said. Daniel Tooth, director of the county's veterans affairs office, also will be part of the task force, Madenspacher said. Tooth was not available for comment Wednesday. Madenspacher said he believes the task force can complete its study within six months. At that time, he will report the findings to the commissioners. "As a veteran, I certainly support this," Commissioner Craig Lehman, who served in the U.S. Navy, said. "I don't think we fully appreciate all that veterans do for us during their service on a daily basis." Don't have a Facebook account? Join now by clicking http://www.facebook.com |