New County Court For Veterans Who Commit Crimes

Riverside County has a new court for veterans starting Jan. 5.

The new Veterans Court at Riverside Superior Court will make the final determination whether a veteran committed a felony or misdemeanor offense(s) as a result of sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse or mental health problems stemming from service in the United States military, according to a Dec. 16 news release issued by the county.

Veterans who come to the court will be required to plead guilty or agree to reinstatement of probation, the news release stated. They must also be placed on formal probation. Regular court appearances will be required. Participants must agree to a minimum 18-month intensive treatment program, or a 12-month program for individuals convicted of specified misdemeanors.

Treatment services provided to those who participate would include weekly
individual and group counseling, drug and alcohol testing, mental health
treatment and regular attendance at support and self-help meetings. Ongoing
aftercare services will be available to all participants who graduate.

Judge Mark Johnson, a decorated combat veteran, will preside over the court that will be held Thursday afternoons in Department 31 at the Hall of Justice in downtown Riverside.

“The court is dedicated to this important program. There are 23.5 million veterans in this country, including 1.7 million veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Statistics show that 19 percent of veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression, and in 2006 1.8 million veterans suffered from some form of substance abuse,” Judge Johnson said.

The judge said the goals of the Veterans Court are to reduce participants’ contacts with the criminal justice system, reduce costs associated with criminal case processing and re-arrest, and improve the quality of life of the veterans, helping them to become stable, employed and substance free.

The court is authorized under Penal Code section 1170.9, which requires a nexus between the issues that have caused the veteran to intersect with the criminal justice system and their military service,  according to the news release.

The Veterans Court is a collaborative effort between the court and agencies
such as the Riverside County District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation,
Mental Health and the Veterans Administration Healthcare Systems.

A detailed information sheet regarding the Riverside County Veterans Court
can be located on the courts website at http://riverside.courts.ca.gov/ by
selecting “criminal” under the “divisions” tab.