Day one of Vet-Court Con
This guest post is from DDA Eric Marvin, who is in Washington, D.C. this week for Vet Court Con 2013, a conference that supports the implementation and promotes the success of veteran treatment courts (VTCs).
*VTCs have gained national prominence as the most innovative solution for vets entering the criminal justice system. Vet Court Con 2013 will return its 1,000+ attendees better equipped to work with justice involved vets and effectively operate VTCs. This morning, the conference opened with impassioned speeches from General Barry McCaffrey, General Eric Shinseki and Hon. Robert Russell. Judge Russell implemented the nation's first VTC in 2008 in Buffalo, NY; his court experiences a 1% recidivism rate, an incredible success by any metric.
We were given a lot of justice involved stats over the course of the morning. One of the most critical and disturbing numbers: 40% of Iraq War vets return with a mental health condition, most often PTSD. An overwhelming majority of justice involved vets are in their situation because their mental health condition has metastasized into criminal behavior. The answer for those vets, the highest likelihood of success for this group and their communities, is a VTC. The overarching theme from the opening speeches: serve those who have served you and, in turn, those vets will thrive. That theme is well taken by the DCDA's Office. DA Patrick Flaherty and every member of our team supports the implementation of a VTC in Deschutes County in 2014; veterans, especially combat vets, have earned our support and Central Oregon as a community will benefit in countless ways from their success.