'Veterans Treatment Court' Likely Coming to County

Monday morning on the steps of the courthouse, the Delaware County Council and Court of Common Pleas announced they were taking steps towards creating a special set of legal avenues for local veterans mired in the criminal justice system.

To this end, the county has created a 15-member Veterans Justice Initiative task force that will shepard the likely creation of a Veterans Treatment Court.

The program would operate through the Mental Health Treatment Court program the county established in 2008 to divert non-violent offenders with mental illness from the prison system. It would provide eligible veterans access to rehabilitation, therapy, and treatment programs. Veterans who successfully complete the program would have their records expunged.

According to recent studies, almost half of the troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are afflicted by post traumatic stress disorder, brain injury, drug and alcohol dependence, and other combat related illnesses that increase their likelihood of criminal behavior. U.S. Representative Pat Meehan (R-7), who spoke at the press conference, said that because returning service men and women are under these unique stressors they require unique accommodations in the court system.

"Every day they're going out and facing IED's, repeat tours of duty," said Meehan, who also announced that he will be introducing legislation that, if passed, will provide federal funds for programs like the one Delaware County is considering.

Pennsylvania State Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, a former Marine and Air Force reservist who served 40 years in the military, said that there are 11 existing veteran's courts in the state, and their track record is excellent.

"They have a one percent rate of recidivism," said McCaffery.

McCaffery also stressed that the creation of such a court in Delaware County would save taxpayer dollars, as the not insignificant number of veterans in the county court system—there were 145 added since January alone—would be moved into a federally subsidized program.

The momentum behind the project comes not from the balance sheet though, but from a sense of responsibility to the men and women who ensure our freedoms.

"We are grateful to our veterans for putting their lives on the line to protect the liberties we enjoy here at home," said county council chairman Jack Whelan, "and it is important for us to connect veterans with the treatment and support services they might need in all areas, including criminal justice."

The task force will be formally appointed at Tuesday night's county council meeting. Its members are Whelan, district attorney G. Michael Green, Court of Common Pleas president Judge Joseph P. Cronin, Ralph Galati, Chris Seibert, Ann Jennings, Spiros Angelos, Michael Raith, Linda Barbera, Nick Miccarelli, Joseph Daly, Phil Damiani, Dr. George Avetian, Steve Miller, and Jourdan Frain.