Union County has taken a step towards restorative justice with the inauguration of its new Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), designed specifically to help veterans embroiled in the criminal justice system due to substance abuse or mental health issues, the Union County government announced. This VTC extends Union County's slate of treatment court programs, which already include the DWI Treatment Court and Family Treatment Court, offering veterans charged with certain crimes an alternative to the traditional punitive approach: a chance at rehabilitation.
The Veterans Treatment Court is a stringent, rehabilitation-focused program, requiring participants to engage in consistent treatment, attend court sessions bi-monthly, and undergo frequent check-ins and unscheduled drug tests it promises to support a path to recovery along with a built-in accountability system, according to Chief District Court Judge Erin Hucks, who in a statement obtained by Union County's official website, said, "We're proud to launch this initiative that aims to heal the invisible wounds that many veterans carry after serving our nation." Successful graduates from this program could see their charges reduced or even dismissed, on top of a significant reduction in their jail sentence, providing a tangible incentive for compliance and progress.
The collaborative effort to support the court system's new venture includes contributions from various corners of the justice and veteran services sectors; the Union County Superior and District Courts, District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, defense attorneys from the private sector, NC State Probation, local treatment providers, Union County Veteran Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are all partners in this initiative. To participate in the program, veterans must reside in Union County, have served in any branch of the U.S. military, including the Guard or Reserves, and have pending criminal charges that qualify for the program, with exclusions for the most severe crimes such as murder, sexual offenses, or violent crimes involving children, the eligibility criteria are available on the county's Treatment Courts webpage.
The court is also calling on local veterans to step up as volunteer mentors for those enrolled in the program, providing peer support and motivation for participants to meet their recovery goals, indicating a community-driven approach to rehabilitation, Hannah Legarsky, Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator, is the point of contact for veterans interested in volunteering and can be reached for applications or information at [email protected] or via telephone at 704-698-3229, demonstrating an open-door policy for those eager to contribute to the lives of their peers.
