Veterans’ treatment courts graduated 189 statewide during 2019
HARRISBURG » Last year, nearly 200 veterans graduated from specialty treatment courts in Pennsylvania where the veteran population ranks fourth in the nation, according to statistics compiled by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Officials said the 189 veterans who graduated from the specialty courts statewide in 2019 represented a 75% successful graduation rate. Additionally, there was a 46% increase in employment among the successful graduates, according to state officials.
A total of 25 veterans’ treatment courts were active in the state during 2019. Montgomery, Berks, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties are among the 25 counties that offer veterans’ treatment courts.
Graduation statistics for the individual counties was unavailable on Tuesday.
Statewide, there were 303 admissions to veterans’ treatment courts during 2019 and 41% of those admissions were U. S. Army veterans. U.S. Marine Corps veterans represented 19.5% of the admissions, U.S. Navy veterans represented 11.5% of the admissions, U.S. Air Force veterans represented 11% and U.S. Coast Guard veterans represented 2%, according to the state statistics.
During 2019, males represented 92% of the veterans’ court admissions while 8% were female, according to statistics compiled by the AOPC.
The AOPC highlights the work of the courts with data and statistics obtained through the judiciary’s case management systems, interactive dashboards and other research.
The AOPC compiles the data but does not interpret it.
There are about 814,000 veterans in Pennsylvania, officials said.
Established in April 2011, Montgomery County’s Veterans’ Treatment Court addresses the needs of veterans cycling through the court and prison system
The veterans’ treatment court is a collaboration of the county judicial system, the district attorney’s office, the public defender’s office, the county jail, the adult probation office, community-based treatment providers and county and federal departments of Veterans Affairs.
County officials have said the specialty court has the goals of enhancing public safety and reducing recidivism rates among veterans who are charged with crimes. Under the program, veterans are connected with community treatment services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs while receiving appropriate dispositions to their criminal charges.
The program, officials said, decreases time spent in jail by moving offenders expeditiously into appropriate treatment settings, promotes employment among the offenders and helps veteran defendants become productive members of their communities.
To be eligible, a veteran must suffer from traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma or psychological or substance abuse problems that require treatment and which contributed to their crimes.
Eligible offenders must agree to follow a court approved treatment plan and routinely meet with probation officials and the judge. When offenders are released from the court or prison system, Veterans Affairs officials are available to assist them.