Should Veterans receive special treatment in Court after committing a crime?

One problem is legislators trying to curry favor in lieu of votes. The result is a conundrum of epic proportions. Rather than mitigate we force some onto the streets with no alternative but to visit the judicial process once again. Good take sir!

It takes all kinds to work in a correctional facility and I am glad to have a lot of fellow staff with a military background. I agree with your statement about entitlement. There are many legitimate needs and it's a shame that some put all of their wants above their needs.

I've wavered back and forth on this idea. On one hand, I don't think it's wrong for us, as a society, to give SOME special consideration for veterans--especially those who have experience combat. At the same time, veteran status does not lessen the severity of the crime, especially when there are direct victims involved.

Creating a system that accommodates all of these factors would be a huge undertaking. Then, the question becomes, will it provide any real benefit to the veteran and society?

I'm still up in the air on this. I'd like to see more discussion, including from previously incarcerated veterans.

I agree with you Lt Baker, but I don't think a blanket program would benifit most. If it were tailored to the individual with some cognitive restructure it could pay off with tangible positive results. Once again, I believe this should be reserved for the non-violent and should also exclude recidivist as this could be relied upon as a get out of jail free card.

I've thought more on this and, based on how other one-size-fits-all programs turned out, I say let each judge decide whether or not any special consideration should be made based on veteran status. Too much discretion has already been taken from judges (mandatory minimum sentences, for example). Let the judges do what they signed up for and impose appropriate and fair sentences. If they choose to take into account a defendant's military service, that is their decision.

I actually liked Heinlein's model for government.

1LT Nick Kidwell I didn't pass any value judgement on it, just mentioned he wrote about it. The way it happened in the book is likely the only way it could happen.

I did not feel judged. It was just my misunderstand

Basic understanding of the foundation of guilt has been ignored in our country. Mens Rea and Actus Reas basically evil mind and evil act. No one should ever be found guilty with out intent. That being said no one who's mental abilities hampers their judgment should be held as guilty. We know that Vets have the highest frequency of mental health issues and should be treated with that knowledge. by the way I work in forensic Psychology with the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity adults knowing them solidifies my support for separate vet courts

We have a Veteran's Court here, along with a mentorship program. It has seen many successes, and from my knowledge of speaking to the retired Major who runs it, not too many failures. If you are part of this type of program, great, do good things. If not, I hope you work to get one in place where you are.

I appriciate your understanding. After fully reading your comments though I felt it necessary to respond and apologize because if it did come out like I was saying that in direct response to your comments it would have seemed pretty crappy. I saw how you were treated and in your case and I am sure some other special circumstances it would be important to have your service brought up. And I do believe there are exceptions to everyrule. My point is a general view of how in many cases civilians and law enforcement in general has taken some dim views on vets with PTSD being involved in standoff a and suicide by cop incidents that have framed OTSD in a poor light. I understand the small town issue as well. I am currently fighting for custody of my soon to be 4 year old daughter and one social worker saw my PRSD diagnosis and immediay jumped on the "he is a danger" bandwagon. Even though I sought help, got help through the VA , and have had my "mild case of PTSD" treated with meds and some minor therapy. In fact I am 100 percent disabled (going to college through Voc rehab and have a Pschyciatrist who reports I'm fine, lowered my meds, and pointed out its a very small part of my disability (2% max) and it only boiled down to "Hyper awareness or vigilance" this small town social worker is going for the throat.. Without any cause other than the "PTSD" stigma. It's sad but this is an all to often occurrence especially in small towns where it isn't well known... (I am only Vet with a service fog as well.. Lucky me) so I know all to well how it feels to receive the small town shaft. Civilians and civilian courts and laws are all to ready to plug veterans into a category regardless of the "we support our veterans statements to the contrary" so even though you don't NEED an apology I frlt one was warranted if I even in the least bit made a fellow warrior feel like their story was being trivialized. Knowing how it feels to have locals jump on the bandwagon against "US" I never would want a Veteran or Doldier feel one of their own was doing the same. My apology goes out to this whole gorum because I read what I wrote and it probably deserved more than check your headspace and timing comments and while it was meant to be a we have to help each other because no one else will kind of statement it probably deserved more back story. You took that time and I feel I did not. Do all that being said I feel that in one had we shouldn't call any more attention to ourselves than necessary in the civilian courts I also believe in many cases we need to band together as brothers and sisters in arms and support each other because no one else can understand us better than we can. We are a small part of the population but we are per capita becoming a group that has many more run ins with the law and LEOS and slso in the homeless and mental health arenas. We are going to, if not already, be stigmatized. We are losing more and more to suicide every day. And regardless of promises made seeing our benifits and healthcare get worse by the minute. So I feel now I have this topic the attention in needs.. Do we need assistance in this area (court, mental health, homelessness, VA, our benifits, and most of all HEALING after the longest set of wars in our history... Absolutely! But in the end it's going to have to be us as a group and community to help each other and make these changes because no one else understands us, what we have been through or who WE are. You, I snd all of us are more than the uniform, more than the stigmas of mental health issues from too many battles, and more than a flag waving on our doorsteps. So I will end by saying thank you for sharing, never give up, don't lose hope, know you can always come to US without fest of judgement and I will never turn my back on anyone hear or trivialize their issues. What I have chose to do is be more than the title, more than the stigma or diagnosis, I refuse to be branded or trivialized myself and I'm am going back to school, even though I'm drawing pension, so I can go back to work as a Socisl Worker with a goal of never letting my brothers and sisters be stigmatized or pushed aside as long as I'm in the fight. I hope to help other vets with benifits, mental heslth and getting back on their feet and getting well. And in the end not just draw attention to the plight of other Vets but make it so no one is ever forced to feel like you frlt, I felt, or the uncounted number of other Vets have surely frlt. We all deserve better and that is why I apologized.. Not to you but to all of us. Because we all deserve better and even if I didn't mean to i should never have left a comment that even made you think I wasn't taking you seriously. I will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again. Thank you for your service, for sharing, and for making me see even the smallest comment csn go a long way. I hope this court stuff gets resolved and it never happens to you again but know we all have your back...all of us Brothers and Sisters forever. With that as my phone battery dies I bid you all farewell and if anything I've said helps even one person I can rest easy. Just know I'll be continuing the fight as long as I am able. We all deserve better from a country that sometimes would rather forget why they sleep in peace and get to live and speak like theydo. I hope they never forget even one of us or the sacrifices sny of you have made or the ones who paid the ultimate sacrifice. With that u say I am proud to call all of you young old male or female Army to airgor e family!

PGC Aaron Knapp Oh no I just saw your reply. I'm still learning how to follow the threads. I am truly horrified & heart broken, that you had to go through this. too. Having your military service used against you for child custody cases. Should be a felony since everything else is. I know you were respond to the thread on how I was convicted fellon by the City Cops working with the city Judge to fill their piggy banks in Georgia. That Georgia thing was a minor inconvenience compared to the child custody cases I went through. I don't know if you saw the thread where I had the VA Rater service connect me for each symptom of PTSD with out the label. I Knew they would use the PTSD stygma against me in child custody court. Reading you post I KNOW what you are going through and how high the cards are stacked against you with the social worker and court. I have my youngest daughter. I know how maddening this can be I knew if I lost another child that not even God himself could have stoped the murderous rampage I would have gone on. The list was long enough that it would have resulted in my being killed by the cops. To lose a child like a piece of property is a wound that no amount of time will heal. (For those of you who read this and think you should report me to be Baker Acted I am not currently harmful to my self or others!!!!). You have a healthy plan to get through this and help others I admire that. Don't let this current custody disgusting dibocle delay or detur you for asking for and getting more help even if it's "under the table". stick to your plan so you can be a counterweight in this imbalance of a messed up system. There will be vets not only flooding the VA System but also a dare to guess a few divorce/custody cases too. They will need you and all the help they can get. Message me anytime if there is anything I can do or you need to vent. I want to see you in the news for all the good things you have planed to do. Stick with YOUR plan!!!!!!!

PFC Knapp, I lost my children to my abuser because I have PTSD. It was hard, and it took me about three years to regain my footing after that, but I did it, and my children are old enough now to be able to evaluate their father's character for themselves, and see what should have happened, and what actually did happen. It was not an easy situation. It has been nearly 13 years, and it hasn't gotten much easier. You will be in my prayers.

Apologize for misspelled words as well typing from my phone did not help me. Out of all misspellings I meant service DOG not fog.

Unfortunately I do not have your luck. I posted my experience here and would like you to consider how much having a Vet Rep by my side could have helped. It's not just about PTSD.

absolutely not !! We are no different than any one else

SMSgt Robert Healy I see my sarcasm missed it's target, no one should get special treatment. I would like to see more accountability and punishment for law enforcement officers, the primary difference between vets and law enforcement is a union. We can't have one so we have no real protection. The second difference is their ability to create revenue for their local, state, and federal government. We are only a functional debt, we do not create nearly any revenue by design.

Last time I read the Declaration of Independence, it said, "All men are created equal." Many of the same guys that helped draft it also helped draft our Constitution -- the same one we are sworn to protect and defend. Did anything change between our nation declararing independence and drafting a Constitution? NO!

We are a nation that governs by rule of law. And all men should be treated equally under the law. At least that's the way it's supposed to work.

Capt Schwager, I agree with you. However, this is not reality. Do you believe that police officers are treated equally (as compared to the average person)? How about children of high ranking politicians? How about the child of a local rich person active in the town?

Justice is supposed to be blind. But, we don't really have a judicial system anymore, neither truth nor justice are of prime relevance. We have a legal system and the best debater wins. If you have more money, you can hire a better debater. Consequently, money, as well as social status, creates an inherent inequity.

This isn't a conspiracy. We are all people, including judges, and we are subject to our own perceptions. In response to the query stated above concerning special treatment of veterans...I believe that public service, especially dangerous service (military, law enforcement, fire fighters), should get an advantage in the perception of the courts in regards to social status. But this isn't something that can be regulated and it will change over time. Consider, for example, how a judge would perceive a soldier during the Viet Nam War and then consider how a judge would perceive a soldier now. It differs. It may not be fair, but it does.

Thanks Cap, you're correct (unfortunately) that money buys justice. I was a city cop after I got out of Service. I did show "Professional Courtesy" to other public servants
BUT - considering there are 22 Vets a day commiting DAILY, something should be done. Most of my PTSD with Severe Hyper-Vigilance stems from being a Police Officer & some from when I was in service. The V.A. FLATLY denied me any of my benefits as well as returning Vets coming home as we speak. How do we as a society deal with this? Respectfully submitted,
Sgt. H.E. de la Garrigue
Navy/Army Vet Police Officer Ret.