Military Veterans frequently have special circumstances that comes into play when they run afoul of the law. Many veterans are dealing with post traumaticstress disorder - traumatic brain injury - and mental health problems. But once convicted of a crime they are sent to jail, given a criminal record and can't find work. It creates a downward cycle, that's as tragic as it is expensive for the tax payer.
In Bexar County we have the Veteran Treatment Court - which has a track record of helping veterans get back on track. According to an evaluation by Richard Hartley - a professor of Criminal Justice at UTSA - the court reduces recidivism by 50 percent.
Bexar County hosts the largest program in the United States, but Veterans Treatment Courts are ramping up across the country and are the fastest growing problem-solving courts in the country because more veterans are returning from extended stays in combat zones as well as the national trend away from incarceration.
Guests:
- Richard Hartley - a professor at the UTSA criminal justice department has studied the Bexar Veteran Tratment Court .
- Marlena Kelly, Veterans Treatment Court Manager
